What is the current thought about the link between breast cancer and abortion?
Again, for a while back there was a lot in the news about this. Women who had abortions BEFORE having their first child were found to have higher incidences of breast cancer than women who never took an abortion or who didn't have abortions until after they had a child or two. I'm just curious about the status of this research at this time. Do women get informed in your country about this possible link? I'm referring to informed consent. Should women be informed about this possible problem down the road?
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I'd be interested to see the evidence for those claims - there is actually no research that shows women who've had abortions, whenever they had them, have a higher incidence of breast cancer. A link between abortion and breast cancer is a myth; junk science and propaganda from the anti-choice lobby. The broad scientific consensus is that no such link exists The anti-choice movement has sought unsuccessfully to prove that there's a link. For example, 'The Breast Cancer Epidemic', a study conducted by the London based Pension and Population Research Institute takes data from 8 European countries and purports to establish that there are 7 risk factors, of which abortion is the most reliable predictor of breast cancer. The study is seriously flawed, for example it finds an increase in abortion and breast cancer in some countries, but offers no data to suggest this is among the same women (ie there was in increase in both, but no evidence that the women who'd had abortions were the same women who developed breast cancer). And the study was funded by the anti-choice group, Life. This excellent article gives the facts: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1374/is_2_62/ai_83794478/ also http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/abortion-miscarriage
2 :
I doubt even if there was a link, that it would stop women from aborting. It wouldn't change my decision if I were in that position...just like knowing my choice to be childfree increased my risk of breast cancer. There's NO way I was going to have a child, simply to reduce the risk that I MIGHT have breast cancer some day. I am currently being treated for breast cancer. Was the fact I chose not to have children the culprit? Who knows....I do not regret my decision though.
3 :
The current research does not find any link between breast cancer and previous abortions. If such a risk existed, it would also be the same for women who had had miscarriages. No such link has been found to exist.
4 :
There is NO link between the two. The largest, and probably the most reliable study on this topic was done during the 1990s in Denmark, a country with very detailed medical records on all its citizens. In that study, all Danish women born between 1935 and 1978 (a total of 1.5 million women) were linked with the National Registry of Induced Abortions and with the Danish Cancer Registry. So all information about their abortions and their breast cancer came from registries, was very complete, and was not influenced by recall bias. After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, the researchers found that induced abortion(s) had no overall effect on the risk of breast cancer. The size of this study and the manner in which it was done provides good evidence that induced abortion does not affect a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Another large, prospective study was reported on by Harvard researchers in 2007. This study included more than 100,000 women who were between the ages of 29 and 46 at the start of the study in 1993. These women were followed until 2003. Again, because they were asked about childbirths and abortions at the start of the study, recall bias was unlikely to be a problem. After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, the researchers found no link between either spontaneous or induced abortions and breast cancer. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_Can_Having_an_Abortion_Cause_or_Contribute_to_Breast_Cancer.asp The American Cancer Society says it's not true and they have the studies and research to back it up. ~Pro-Choice Momma; Have had an abortion <no regrets> and I have a 9 month old daughter <no regrets>. I believe in protecting my daughter's choice. Abortion: There is a Consensus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsSQiazUvgo
5 :
Different states in our country have different laws. This state has a law which makes the women see an ultrasound before aborting their child (or children). There IS a link between breast cancer and abortion. Good question, by the way. I'm not sure, but more information might be found at www.pregnancycenters.org
Read more discussions :
