WELL KNOWN for her books on pregnancy and child birth, Dr Miriam Stoppard has turned her attention onto breasts exclusively for her most recent publication, The Breast Book. Almost encyclopaedic in tone and design, the book covers everything, from the breast in religious art, to cosmetic breast surgery, breast feeding and the sexual breast.

In her chapter on the nurturing breast Stoppard explores the little known fact that adoptive mothers can, with some help, breastfeed their babies and looks at how breastfeeding may be beneficial for a diabetic as it can reduce her need for insulin.

Stoppard gives over a sizeable section of the book to breast cancer and its treatment. She is, however, keen to allay women's unnecessary fears about malignant growths. For every lump in the breast that turns out to be cancerous, ten others are benign and harmless" she writes. In dealing with breast cancer treatment, Stoppard says, "for every ten women with a cancerous lump, six or seven will be treated without removal of the breast".

Stoppard also discusses ways to reduce your risk of getting breast cancer, the importance of everyday breast care and acting early on suspicions of breast lumps.

The Breast Book by Dr Miriam Stoppard is published today by Dorling Kindersley. UK price, £14.99.