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Abortion Rates Are Absolutely NOT The Best Predictor Of Future Breast Cancer Rates
- Apr 8, 2009 at 1:16 PM
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- Comments (43) Total Views (1456) Everyone can see this journal post.
The issue of abortion and breast cancer has been considered in several scientific studies. The weight of the evidence from these studies demonstrates that abortion does not increase the risk of breast cancer.
The results from many of the early studies on the relationship between abortion and breast cancer indicated that abortions do not cause breast cancer. Although some of these early studies did suggest an association, these results were questioned due to problems inherent in the design of the studies.
In 1997, the New England Journal of Medicine published what is regarded as the most methodologically-sound study to look at the alleged link between breast cancer and abortion. The study examined the official medical records of over one million women in Denmark. The authors compared the medical histories of women who had breast cancer based on whether or not they also had abortions. The study concluded definitively that abortion has no overall effect on a woman’s breast cancer risk.
Several subsequent well-regarded studies have also used record-based research methods to examine the issue in different populations. Like the Danish study, these studies have concluded that there is no association between abortion and breast cancer. One recent study even suggests that abortion may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
In February 2003, the National Cancer Institute convened a workshop of over 100 of the world’s leading experts to examine whether there is a relationship between pregnancy and breast cancer risk, including whether there is an association between abortion and breast cancer. The experts concluded that having an abortion does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of developing breast cancer. The American Cancer Society, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the World Health Organization have also concluded that no link has been established between abortion and breast cancer.
In spite of the overwhelming evidence and scientific consensus to the contrary, some anti-abortion activists continue to make distorted claims regarding abortion and its relationship to breast cancer. For example, one claim is that there is a "statistically significant association" between abortion and breast cancer. But this statement selectively relies on outdated and inconclusive studies, ignoring the many recent well-conducted studies that show there is no association. In addition, claims suggesting that because an "association" has been shown between abortion and breast cancer that there is, in fact, a connection between the two are misleading. For example, over the last few decades in the United States, it would be true to say that there is a statistical association between computer use and breast cancer because both computer use and the incidence of breast cancer have increased during that period. That statistical association, however, does not mean that computer use causes or is any way linked to breast cancer.
Some anti-abortion activists also incorrectly say that young women who choose abortion are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer. These claims are based on evidence suggesting that carrying a pregnancy to term before age 35 may confer a later protective effect against breast cancer. The scientific evidence demonstrates, however, that a young woman who has an abortion is left in the same position as if she had never been pregnant. Claiming that a young woman who has an abortion is at a heightened risk of developing breast cancer is like claiming that a young woman who is abstinent and therefore does not become pregnant is at a heightened risk of developing breast cancer.
Abortion opponents have attempted to use the alleged link between abortion and breast cancer as part of their aggressive legislative campaign to reduce access to abortion. In recent years, more than fifteen states have considered legislation that could force doctors to give patients medically inaccurate and alarmist information on the alleged link between abortion and breast cancer. At least 4 states have enacted confusing laws that refer to breast cancer as a possible risk from abortion, but only require physicians to discuss the potential risk "when medically accurate." Based on the conclusive medical evidence, telling a woman that abortion increases her risk of breast cancer would never be "medically accurate."
Anti-abortion activists have also engaged in advertising campaigns to spread misinformation about abortion and breast cancer using billboards and subway posters. In a lawsuit involving one of those subway advertisements, a federal judge described a poster as "misleading" and "unduly alarming."
Sources for this article include the National Cancer Society, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the World Health Organization.
Comments:
Wanna know what is PROVEN to have a large effect on breast cancer rates?
The breastfeeding rates.
And yet people pretend that's not true either. Sadly, people would rather make idiotic claims of pseudo-science and bullshit that somehow support some cause of theirs, though.
Thank you! Voted pop!
Thank you.
Thank you, Liz.
Liz, you rock. I've been reading "that one's" fear-incited-propaganda for the past couple days and scratching my head in disbelief. I'm glad you posted this.
And you CITED YOUR SOURCES. Which makes it credible. *grin*
Amazing Liz, just amazing. Thank you!!
I've had to bite my tongue (or my fingers) with the other post. Thank you for intelligent refutation to misinformation!
Why don't you try more recent information. The science community is always doing more studies, especially on breast cancer....
Why don't you try more recent information. The science community is always doing more studies, especially on breast cancer....
Hah! Now I can post here because I know my reply won't be deleted by an uber paranoid OP!
Just because a YOUTUBE video was "created" in 2007 does not mean the information they're providing is up to date. Not for nothing, but....I'm more apt to take my information from the World Health Organization, National Cancer Society, the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, than I am from someone with a video making program, internet access and an "agenda"...
Bravo to the other poster...now millions of uneducated women will think to themselves "I've never had an abortion, so...why get a mammogram?! I'm obviously not going to get breast cancer!"....wait a decade or two and see how the mis-information she's quoted affects the breast cancer rate, bet it's STAGGERING.
Peace.
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Good information and love the tag.
- sgr123
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