Does a late-term abortion result in an even greater risk in breast cancer?
Some studies, but not all, have shown a greater risk of developing breast cancer with late-term abortions. Part of the problem in finding the answer to this question is that one study may be comparing women who have had a late-term abortion before their first full-term pregnancy (FFTP) to other women who have had their abortion after their FFTP, which obviously could affect the result, Melbye et al(1) noted that having an abortion after the 18th week of gestation resulted in an 89% increased risk, but they did not distinguish abortion prior to a FFTP from abortion after a FFTP. Rookus and Leeuwen et al5 actually obtained a lower risk for later-term abortion as compared to early abortion, but again failed to separate abortion prior to versus after a woman’s FFTP (ie, he found a 110% increased risk in abortions of pregnancies of fewer than 8 weeks duration and a 60% increased risk in those abortions occurring after 8 weeks). Fortunately some authors have examined the “before and after FF
Related Questions
- Is the breast cancer risk associated with combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use sufficient to warrant a change in prescribing habits?
- What have the specific studies of the oral contraceptive pill and breast cancer shown in young black women?
- Does a late-term abortion result in an even greater risk in breast cancer?
