The structure of the mammary gland, its development. Internal and external structure of the female breast: norm and anomalies

The mammary glands are the paired organs for producing milk and feeding babies.

They are found in all species of mammals. The name comes from the Latin mammae, the full name is glandula mammaria.

Anatomy of the mammary glands

The anatomy of the breast is similar to the sweat glands. This is explained by the fact that dairy products originated from sweat cells.

In men, mammary glands are present, but are not modified, but are in a rudimentary form, that is, in the rudiment.

Women's breasts begin to develop during puberty, increasing in size to the bust.

After final development, the glands look like two hemispheres that are adjacent to the chest wall.

To the question of what a woman's breasts are made of, the answer lies in determining the types of tissue:

• fat;
• glandular;
• connecting.

You can see how a woman's breasts are structured in the cross-sectional image.

The structure of the breast can be described as follows:

1. During anatomical development, the base of the mammary gland is in contact with the pectoralis major muscle, behind which is the minor muscle.
2. The smaller part of the base of the gland is attached to the serratus anterior muscle.
3. The base of the gland consists of an average of 18 cone-shaped lobes and is covered with a layer of fat and connective tissue.
4. The lobes are divided into smaller parts, which, in turn, consist of alveoli up to 1 mm.

Stages of development of lobules, which are formed during different periods of growing up:

Type 1 - This type contains immature lobules in girls before the onset of menstruation. There are few ducts, up to 10 pieces.

Type 2 - Develop from the previous ones, the number of ducts increases to fifty.

Type 3 - Lobules during pregnancy, increasing them by another 20 - 30 pieces.

Type 4 - Lactation period, the composition of the ducts is on average 125 pieces. Absent if the woman is not breastfeeding.

With age, the mammary glands in women are actively replaced by fat. The process intensifies after 45 years and menopause: a woman’s breasts are almost completely filled with adipose tissue.

The chest is not deprived of blood supply. It comes from the lateral and internal arteries of the pectoral muscles. The anatomy of the female breast includes lymph nodes.

The glands are located horizontally, between each other they have a sinus - a small depression.

The breast is located between the seventh and third ribs, the nipple is located approximately in the middle, parallel to the fourth or fifth rib.

It looks like a low cone-shaped protrusion on the skin of the chest. After childbirth it changes to cylindrical.

The nipple is surrounded by an areola, the color can be from light to dark brown, even spotted. Usually darkens after childbirth.

There may be elevations and tuberosity around the nipple - these are female mammary glands in a rudimentary state. They have a name and are the norm.

The nipple consists of wrinkled tissue, its upper part is covered with milky pores. These are milk ducts that start from the milk lobes and end at the surface of the nipple.

They can reach 2 mm in diameter. They can merge to form a single hole. Available in quantities from 6 to 15 pieces.

Influence of the hormonal system and breast function

The development of glands and the processes taking place in them are under the control of hormones. On average, 15 hormones have an influence. The names of the main ones are as follows:

1. Estrogen. The main hormone is responsible for the development of connective tissue and milk ducts. Estrogen affects the elasticity and density of the glands.
2. Progesterone. Responsible for the alveoli and their number. Helps in the development of glandular tissue. Under the influence of progesterone, lobules begin to develop. The main time of production is puberty.
3. Prolactin. Lactation hormone is released during breastfeeding. Responsible for epithelial cells (skin) and increases their growth.
4. Endocrine system hormones: corticosteroids (work with prolactin) and insulin (mediator during the growth of epithelial tissue cells).
5. Thyroid hormones. Increases prolactin production.

These hormones have a greater influence on a woman’s body during periods of hormonal surges:

• puberty;
• puberty;
• pregnancy period;
• childbirth;
• breast-feeding;
• menopause;
• menopause

The main influence remains on progesterone and estrogen, and during lactation – prolactin.

Stages of breast development during puberty according to Tanner:

A young girl should know everything about the female breast from her parents so as not to be frightened by the changes that her body undergoes and to prevent diseases of the female organs.

The main and only function of the mammary glands is feeding the offspring, which is manifested by changes in the shape of the breast.

Physiology of lactation

With pregnancy, changes begin in the hormonal background and body of the expectant mother. One of them is the enlargement of female breasts and ducts.

Contrary to popular belief, breast size does not affect milk production. This process depends on special ducts that are located between the lobes and must transfer milk to the milk pores.

The number of ducts is influenced by genetics.

Despite this, there is no need to worry if older women have not breastfed due to lack of milk.

There could be an influence of improper attachment, as a result of which the number of feedings decreased and, following this, the milk left.

Breastfeeding is the most suitable for the baby. Mother's milk contains elements necessary for the development of the baby.

During feeding, the newborn is less susceptible to diseases, since the necessary antibodies in the body enter the milk and help the child cope with the disease.

After childbirth, colostrum is produced on the first day. This is a natural process of lactation physiology.

The baby should be held to the breast more often and provided with more tactile contact. As a result, milk will come faster.

Simply put, how much a child eats in a day, so much fluid will be available the next day. WHO recommends feeding on demand. This means no routine and latching whenever the baby expresses a desire.

Lactation improves up to six months. During this period, it may seem that there is not enough milk or there is too much milk.

Feeding can be continued for up to 6 months, after which complementary feeding begins. Breastfeeding is not only about food, but also about communication between mother and child.

An already grown child should be fed until 2 years of age, according to WHO. During this period, milk is not the main food, but it has an effect on the child’s body and transfers important microelements.

Breastfeeding can be of different types:

1. Natural feeding from mother to newborn.
2. Expressing milk from the mother or another woman and bottle feeding.
3. Breastfeeding by another woman.

You can end lactation in several ways: wait until the sucking reflex subsides (on average after 3 years and up to 5) or stop latching on your own.

The second option consists of gradually reducing feedings, during which milk begins to be produced in smaller quantities, and the glandular tissue of the breast is replaced by fat.

You should not interrupt lactation instantly, this can lead to stagnation and illness. If lumps are felt in the soft tissues, it is worth straining them manually or using a breast pump to prevent blockages and mastitis.

After breastfeeding, breasts can take one to five years to recover.

A woman can feed one or more children at the same time. It is possible to extend the lactation period by giving birth to children one after another.

You can breastfeed while pregnant (after consultation with a specialist) and even in tandem (an older child and a newborn).

Breast shapes

There are several classifications. According to the types of glands, the following forms are distinguished:

Pear-shaped - The height of the chest is greater than the base.

Discoid - Small height of the gland and wide base.

Mastoid - Repeats the shape of the pear-shaped, but the mammary gland and nipples are pubescent downwards.

Hemispherical - The height is approximately the same as the base.

The mammary gland is a paired organ that belongs to the endocrine glands. All species of the mammalian class have it, and its main function is to secrete milk and feed offspring.

All mammals have such glands, their number depends on the number of young that a given species can bear and feed.

This is interesting. In cetaceans, two mammary glands are located near the labia.

Until puberty, the structure of the mammary gland in girls and boys is the same. At around 11-12 years of age, the milk ducts begin to gradually enlarge and the gland becomes a little painful when pressed. This is a completely normal phenomenon and there is no need to worry. At about 13-14 years of age, its growth accelerates significantly in girls and, with normal hormonal background, completely stops in boys, remaining a vestigial organ.

The rudiments of the mammary glands are one of the first to appear - already at 5-6 weeks of development of the human embryo, you can see the tubercles from which these glands will later develop. It may be surprising that they were formed from sweat glands.

In women, full maturation of the mammary gland ends after feeding the first child with milk.

The organ consists of:

• adipose and connective tissue
• alveoli (glandular tissue)
• duct

The mammary gland itself looks like a ball or hemisphere. This structure of the female gland best retains heat, especially during milk production. And with the spherical shape of the gland, there is no risk of suffocation of the baby during feeding.

The size of the gland and its development are not interrelated. Development depends on the amount of adipose and glandular tissue. The more glandular tissue there is, the more milk, and the more it can produce, the more developed it is. In fact, this means that even a small gland, consisting mainly of alveoli, will be more developed than a large one, which mainly contains fat.

The number of different tissues depends mainly on the lifestyle and nutrition of the woman herself, and can increase or decrease. Its main part, glandular tissue, depends on hormonal levels. It often happens that the size of a woman’s breasts depends on the menstrual cycle, and increases with the approach of her critical days.

Glandular tissue

It is attached to the muscles of the chest by connective tissue, and between its lobes there is adipose tissue.

It is divided into several lobes, each woman has her own - from 8 to 20. Their number can differ even on the right and left breasts of one woman. These lobes are located radially to the nipple. The lobes consist entirely of small lumps-bags, in which milk is produced. All lobes are pierced by ducts that end at the nipple.

The main function of female mammary glands is feeding offspring, but no one can dispute the fact that to some extent they determine a woman’s attractiveness and even her psychological comfort.

In addition, the female breast is a delicate and sensitive part of the body that requires careful and attentive treatment.

So, what features does the female mammary gland have: structure and functions, tissue ratio, shape, weight?

Breasts begin to form in the womb (around the 5th month), but until the onset of puberty they remain in their infancy in both boys and girls.

Intensive growth and development of the bust in female adolescents begins at the age of 10-12 years, when the concentration of hormones in the blood of the future woman begins to change.

By the age of 16-17, the bust is almost formed, although its growth may be observed for another 3-4 years. The structure, shape and size of the breasts are individual in each specific case - moreover, one breast in a woman may differ from the other.

Blood supply

The blood supply to the mammary glands comes from three different blood vessels:

• posterior intercostal arteries;
• internal mammary artery;
• lateral thoracic artery.

The posterior intercostal vessels provide blood supply to the inner and lateral parts of the chest, but the main artery of the mammary glands is the internal mammary artery. Its branches are located near the ribs directly next to the sternum.

The areola and nipple are supplied with blood from the branches of the arteries, which form a branched network in the skin. Venous drainage of the mammary glands is carried out using deep and superficial veins, which are located under the skin and in deeper layers of tissue.

The lymphatic system of the mammary gland drains lymph in several directions, and 30-40 lymph nodes located under the breast, above the collarbones and in the armpits prevent the spread of foreign microorganisms.

Many nerve fibers and endings pass through the breast tissue, which causes the so-called irradiation of pain into the chest in diseases of the back and spine.

Breast shape and size

The size of the mammary glands depends on several factors - some of them are formed at birth, and others throughout a woman’s life:

1. genetic predisposition. Bust size is influenced by maternal genes, as well as the genes of other relatives;
2. weight. Breast size depends on the total amount of fatty tissue in the body. Accordingly, when gaining additional kilograms, the mammary glands can increase in size, and in girls who are on strict diets, they decrease. At the same time, with an increase in the amount of fatty tissue, the breasts may sag and lose their elasticity;
3. anatomical features of the figure. As a rule, fragile, thin women have a small bust, while large women have a rather impressive bust;
4. hormonal background. Under the influence of hormones, the bust can increase, which is what happens during pregnancy.

If we talk about the shape of the breast, then there are several classifications that characterize and describe different types of busts.

Types of busts

The generally accepted classification identifies the following breast shapes:

• disk– the chest has a small height and a wide base;
• hemisphere– the diameter and height of the mammary gland almost coincide;
• cone (pear)– the height of the chest is much greater than the width of the base;
• nipples– the structure is almost identical to the conical shape, but the nipple is directed downwards.

There is a classification that describes not only the shape of the bust, but also the character of its owner. Thus, a bud-shaped mammary gland characterizes a woman as an irritable person, round breasts are characteristic of passionate and sensitive girls, and an elongated bust is characteristic of docile and soft representatives of the fair sex.

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Lecture on the topic “Structure and functions of the mammary glands”:

Breast shape may change depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle and other factors. During pregnancy, the breasts increase in size, during lactation they become even larger, and after breastfeeding, they usually return to their previous shape and size.

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The mammary glands in women are located at the level of the 3rd-6th pair of ribs and are attached to the serratus anterior pectoral muscle; the gland itself has no muscles. The nipple is located just below the middle of the breast and is surrounded by the areola. Its color and size vary individually, but usually in nulliparous girls and women it is pinkish or dark red; in women who have given birth it becomes darker and acquires a brownish color. The surface of the nipple is wrinkled, its most convex point has milky pores through which milk flows.

Fact: Exercises for the anterior pectoral muscles do not in any way affect the shape of the breasts or their perkiness.

Inside the gland has up to twenty lobes, which are filled with milk during lactation; the rest of the space is filled with glandular tissue. Each large lobe consists of several smaller lobes. The tops of the large lobes are directed towards the nipple and are connected to it by milk ducts, which pass into the milk pores. At the same time, there are much fewer milk pores than ducts: many small ducts on the way to the gland are connected into several large ones. Each duct widens as it approaches the nipple, then narrows again as it approaches the pores, creating a reservoir for storing the produced milk.

Size

The shape and size of the breasts depend on the woman’s age, her individual characteristics and the number of births. The right and left glands may differ slightly in shape and size, but, as a rule, the right gland is slightly larger.

Minor changes in the shape of the glands occur during the menstrual cycle: immediately before menstruation, swelling appears, the number of glandular ducts increases, after menstruation everything returns to normal. The reason for the swelling of the mammary glands in this case is the action of hormones that change depending on the menstrual phase.

Fact: Breast size does not affect the amount of milk produced during lactation.

The thickness of the fat layer located on the back wall of the breast significantly affects the size of the breast. Fuller women have larger breasts, while slimmer women will have significantly smaller breasts.

However, with a small amount of excess weight, the breasts can be quite large - this is due to the large volume of glandular tissue. In such cases, with an incorrectly selected bra, diaper rash often appears under the mammary glands, the treatment of which includes choosing more comfortable clothing, careful hygiene and the use of drying ointments. Skin diseases, a general decrease in immunity or allergies can also trigger the appearance of diaper rash.

Development and functions

The main function of the mammary gland is the production and secretion of milk. Hormones of the pituitary gland and ovaries have a stimulating effect on the lactation process, which is why if their levels are disturbed, the development of hypogalactia is possible - a condition characterized by the absence or insufficient production of milk.

The glands begin to develop at the very beginning of adolescence due to the activation of gonadotropic hormones. The action of these hormones is aimed at the maturation of ovarian follicles, which, in turn, begin to produce estrogens - female hormones. It is they who influence the development of the genital organs and the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics - the formation of the breasts, buttocks and the female figure as a whole.

Fact: after the onset of menopause, a decrease in estrogen levels promotes the replacement of glandular tissue in the mammary gland with fatty tissue.

During pregnancy, the formed placenta begins to secrete its own hormones, reducing the production of pituitary hormones. During this period, the glandular lobes increase, and closer to childbirth, milk production begins. Childbirth and the expulsion of the placenta stimulate the onset of lactation. The most significant influence at this time is exerted by oxytocin and prolactin - their interaction awakens the maternal instinct and promotes milk production.

Causes of diseases

Breast diseases are different, but have similar risk factors that make their development most likely. The most common symptom is pain in the mammary glands.

Main reasons:

• genetic predisposition;
• hormonal imbalance, insufficient or excessive production of sex hormones;
• thyroid disease - insufficiency of its functions increases the risk of mastopathy;
• diseases of the liver, gall bladder and/or bile ducts;
• overweight;
• iodine deficiency;
• long-term stress, neuroses, depression, chronic fatigue;
• lack of regular sex life;
• bad habits - smoking, alcohol;
• breast injuries;
• abortions - after they are performed, the glandular tissue undergoes regression, which can occur unevenly and contribute to the development of tumors;
• late pregnancy;
• lack of breastfeeding after childbirth;
• early onset of the menstrual cycle and late cessation.

Fact: early birth, as well as the birth and breastfeeding of two or more children by a woman under 25 years of age, significantly reduces the risk of developing breast diseases.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of breast diseases:

• discharge from the mammary glands in the absence of pregnancy and lactation;
• pain in the mammary gland and its sensitivity, regardless of the phase of the cycle; if these symptoms are observed only before menstruation or during feeding, then this can be considered the norm;
• detection of compactions upon palpation of the gland;
• deformation of the mammary glands;
• changes in the skin in the chest area: the appearance of redness, rash, etc.;
• a change in the shape of one of the glands, rarely both, manifests itself as a clearly visible asymmetry;
• change in the shape or color of the nipple areola, the appearance of rashes;
• enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits.

Important: the diagnosis of such diseases is carried out by a mammologist, so if such symptoms occur, you must contact him.

Developmental pathologies

There are two groups of possible pathologies:

• true, arising due to the presence of a hereditary predisposition or caused by a violation of intrauterine development;
• defects that arose as a result of disruption of hormonal or other body functions, incl. caused by injuries, radiation, etc.

Quantitative anomalies:

• monomastia - the complete absence of one of the glands, a congenital defect. Develops in the sixth week of pregnancy, at the very beginning of gland formation;
• polymastia is the development of more than two mammary glands, which can be located in almost any part of the body. As a rule, such glands are underdeveloped and cannot function normally;
• polythelia - the formation of an additional number of nipples.

Fact: most anomalies are detected immediately after birth, during examination in the maternity hospital. Most often, their correction is performed surgically.

Structural anomalies:

• ectopia - displacement of the location of the mammary gland;
• micromastia - small size of the mammary glands inappropriate for age and physique;
• hypoplasia - underdevelopment of glands and nipples;
• macromastia - hypertrophy, characterized by a large volume of mammary glands.

Congenital anomalies of breast shape are common. These include the tubular form of the mammary glands - this pathology is characterized by an elongated breast shape with a lack of glandular tissue. Such pathologies are not a disease and are considered an aesthetic defect.

Mastopathy

Mastopathy is a benign disease that occurs as a result of the proliferation of connective tissue in the mammary gland. There are two forms of mastopathy - diffuse and nodular. In the first case, the glandular tissue grows evenly, and in the second it forms nodes.

Causes

The main reason for the development of mastopathy is hormonal imbalance:

• early onset of menstruation;
• late first pregnancy;
• lack of breastfeeding;
• long-term delay of menopause (after 50 years);
• inflammation of the genital organs;
• problems with the menstrual cycle;
• prolonged stress;
• abortions.

Fact: the development of mastopathy is most influenced by a violation of the secretion of hormones such as estrogens and progesterone. Concomitant diseases often include endometriosis, uterine fibroids and ovarian cysts.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of mastopathy:

• clear discharge from the mammary glands when pressed;
• deterioration of the skin in the chest area;
• presence of compactions upon palpation;
• pain in the mammary gland and its increased sensitivity;
• pronounced premenstrual syndrome;
• change in the shape of the gland.

When pressed, discharge from the mammary glands may be green, brownish or yellowish - this indicates stagnation of fluid as a result of blockage or a decrease in the lumen of the canal due to the formation of compactions.

Diagnostics

Mastopathy can often be determined through self-examination. This procedure must be performed first while standing, then lying down. The best time to examine your breasts is after your period. The procedure includes examining the breast with arms down and up and palpating it. If lumps are detected, you should consult a doctor who will additionally perform an ultrasound.

Important! If a lump (infiltrate in the mammary gland) is detected, the formation of which is accompanied by an increase in temperature and general weakness, mastitis can be diagnosed - an inflammatory disease of the breast.

Treatment

The patient is prescribed complex therapy aimed at normalizing hormonal levels, treating inflammation of the genital organs and other diseases that cause mastopathy. The prescribed therapy depends on the woman’s age.

If drug treatment is ineffective, surgical intervention is often prescribed, this is especially often used for nodular mastopathy. In severe cases, it is necessary to completely remove the affected mammary glands.

Conclusion

Breast health is important for every woman. If you experience any symptoms of her illness, you should immediately consult a doctor. In addition, it is necessary to regularly monitor the health of the entire body, otherwise many advanced diseases can lead to impaired reproductive function or the ability to lactation.

This is a gland that secretes milk, a characteristic feature of animals belonging to the class of mammals. The mammary glands (mamma; synonymous with the mammary gland) are a paired glandular organ that produces milk in women after childbirth; in men it remains underdeveloped and does not function. Its secret is breast milk - the natural food of young mammals in the initial postpartum period of development. Breast diseases are currently “younger,” which makes the problem of early and modern diagnosis even more relevant in the practice of mammologists and gynecologists.

Outside the lactation period, it has an average diameter of 10-12 cm and a thickness of 2-3 cm. The weight of the gland in girls ranges from 150-200 g, during the lactation period 300-900 g. In most young healthy women, it is elastic and has hemisphere shape.

STRUCTURE OF THE MAMMY GLAND

The mammary gland is a complex alveolar-tubular organ consisting of 15-20 lobes. The lobe consists of many lobes (which form glandular tissue), from each of which a lactiferous duct departs. These terminal ducts, merging into larger ones, form lobar ducts. Each lobe is cone-shaped with its apex at the nipple, where its main excretory duct opens. In front of the nipple, the ducts expand and form the lacteal sinuses. The lobes are separated from each other by adipose connective tissue and are located radially relative to the nipple. "Additional lobes" - their appearance in an atypical location - can be located in front of the sternum, in the axillary and clavicular areas.

The pigmented area around the nipple is called the areola or areola, and the numerous hills (tubercles) on it are sweat glands. In the area of ​​the nipple and areola, the skin is especially thin. There is no layer of subcutaneous fatty tissue.

The body of the mammary gland is located in a connective tissue sheath formed from the superficial fascia, which splits into two plates surrounding the gland. A large number of dense connective tissue cords (Cooper's ligaments) are directed from its anterior surface to the deep layers of the skin, which maintain the shape and anatomical structure of the mammary gland. Between the posterior surface of the fascial sheath and the fascia of the pectoralis major muscle itself there is a layer of loose fatty tissue that tightly covers the body of the gland.

The skin of the female breast is thin and mobile. It glides easily and folds. The tissue is well supplied with blood, lymphatic vessels and nerves, which are under the constant regulatory influence of the central nervous system and hormones.

PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTION

The main function of the mammary glands is the formation and secretion of milk. The structure and functions of the female breast change significantly in different phases of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and lactation. These changes are determined by the function of the endocrine glands.

The mammary glands are a classic target organ, experiencing the action of many hormones. There is a clear dependence of its structure on age, general hormonal status and the phase of the menstrual cycle. It begins to develop intensively at the age of 12-16 years, when the activity of the adrenal cortex and gonads increases. During the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation and menopause, the mammary glands are influenced by 15 hormones and undergo changes taking into account changes in the secretion of these hormones. And if at least one of them is produced in the wrong quantity, problems begin.

Breast size and shape vary from person to person. Actually, the gland itself is much smaller in size than the entire breast. Individual differences in the size of female breasts are determined by the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer. The shape of the breast (erect or pendulous) depends on the strength and elasticity of the connective tissue capsule in which this gland is enclosed. Thus, neither the size nor shape of the breast affects a woman's ability to breastfeed.

It is undeniable that a woman's breasts are the most obvious symbol of femininity. This is one of the receptive erogenous zones. The nipples and areola in women are an area of ​​significant susceptibility to stimulation. The mammary gland is connected to the woman’s genital organs, and when exposed to it, the impulse is transmitted through the brain to them. Moreover, such a reaction of the mammary glands usually does not depend on their size, although according to some observations, small breasts are more sensitive and responsive...

Thus, a woman needs breasts not only for lactation and sexual pleasure, but also for all sorts of socially significant affairs and achievements, about which the great Russian poet and lyricist Nekrasov wonderfully put it: “She will endure everything, and pave a wide, clear path for herself with her breasts.” ".

However, despite the fact that most of a woman’s life the mammary glands are in relative “rest”, but, as a hormone-dependent organ, they undergo periodic cyclical and complex changes due to the physiology of the female body. And the occurrence of most breast diseases is associated precisely with hormonal imbalances.

BREAST DISEASES

Disturbances in the production of hormones can occur due to various endocrine problems, menstrual irregularities, sharp fluctuations in body weight, infectious diseases, emotional overload (stress, depression, neurosis), deliberate refusal of breastfeeding without medical indications, artificial termination of pregnancy, alcohol abuse, smoking, etc., which may be accompanied by pain and discharge from the mammary glands. Excessive tanning can also disrupt the normal functioning of the hormonal system and cause various breast problems in women.

Breast diseases include acute and chronic inflammation (mastitis), mastalgia (pain), cystic mastopathy and neoplasms, benign and malignant. Of course, the state of its receptor apparatus is also of great importance, which has been studied especially intensively in recent years.

In clinical practice, mammologists distinguish 4 groups of mammary gland diseases:

1. Inflammatory diseases: mastitis, specific infection (tuberculosis, echinococcosis, etc.).
2. Dyshormonal hyperplasia: mastopathy and gynecomastia.
3. Benign formations: adenoma, fibroadenoma, lipoma, angioma and others.
4. Malignant tumors of the mammary gland (cancer, sarcoma and other types of tumors).

It should be noted that a decisive role in their development is currently assigned to progesterone-deficient conditions, in which excess estrogen causes proliferation of breast tissue and disruption of the receptor apparatus. This is largely influenced by age. Based on this, patients with various diseases of the mammary glands are divided into the following age groups:

From 18 to 27 years: juvenile age,
- from 28 to 34 years: early fertile age,
- from 35 to 47 years: late fertile age,
- from 48 to 54 years: perimenopausal,
- over 55 years old: menopausal age.

MAIN DISEASES OF THE WOMEN'S BREAST:

• Breast abscess,
• Adenosis,
• Fibroadenoma of the mammary gland,
• Actinomycosis of the mammary glands,
• Intraductal papillomatosis,
• Inflammation of the nipple
• Galactocele,
• Fat necrosis of the mammary gland,
• Invasive ductal carcinoma,
• Breast cyst,
• Lactostasis,
• Leaf-shaped tumor of the breast,
• Mastitis,
• Mastopathy,
• Developmental defects
• Mammary cancer,
• Paget's cancer
• Breast sarcoma.

Symptoms of breast diseases

Medical practice confirms that most patients with gynecological, and especially in combination with endocrine disorders, suffer from one or another disease of the mammary glands. At the same time, the highest risk group for their severe pathology are women with hyperplastic diseases of the genital organs. Depending on the suspected cause of breast pathology, certain methods are used