Abortion increases risk of breast cancer, breast feeding lowers it– University Researcher

Multiple terminations of pregnancies is believed to increase the risk of breast cancer as well as some kind of uncontrolled birth control pills while women who breast feed their babies for 18 months to 2 years are better protected against the deadly scourge affecting 16 million people yearly most of whom are from Sub-Saharan African.

This research work was made known by Professor Moses Momoh while delivering a lecture in Benin on ways of reducing the burden of Breast Cancer.

The researcher listed 12 causes of risk factors of Breast Cancer to include the fact of just being a woman of about 35years and above.

Breast cancer is also believed to be hereditary in close family and high in risk during menopause which is much early because of early menstruation.

Science has found that in 1960 girls see their menstruation at 16 but in recent years they experience it at age 11 and in rare cases 9 which exposes them to estrogen that might cause breast cancer for many years.

The lecturer also said that medical science found that women who have their full time pregnancy after the age of 35years have higher risk of breast cancer and suggested that women who start having children from 18 to 25 years are less likely to come down with breast cancer.

Professor Moses Momoh said the higher number of children a woman has as well as the full 18 months to 2 years breast feeding a woman embark on, the lower the risk of being infected with the deadly disease.

The researcher further warned women of prolonged unsupervised use of estrogen preparation that makes older women to retain their youthful feminine voice and other characteristics.

According to Professor Momoh, unsupervised birth control pills and termination of pregnancies could increase the risk of breast cancer but this was rejected by some. “This is supposedly controversial because studies from different institutions draw different conclusions. Studies from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) conclude that termination of pregnancies does not increase the risk of breast cancer. Note however that NCI and sister US government agencies do not oppose induced abortion as a method of population control. Studies from other research institutions especially those affiliated to catholic and evangelical establishments conclude that induced abortions increase the risk of breast cancer”.

The Professor however pointed out that after the legalization of abortion in the mid 1950 in US and Europe 10 to 15 years later the west recorded increased rate of breast cancer.

Other risk factors the lecturer listed to cause the ailment include obesity and cigarette smoking. Professor Moses however advise all female under the reproduction age to avail themselves for breast cancer test every year and also do a self examination in front of their mirror while  using their  hand to feel all parts of each breast if there is any unusual small abnormalities.

The University of Benin Lecturer and surgeon in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital hinted that cancer is only visible at a stage when it can no longer be treated successfully hence, early detection is the only way out.

Professor Momoh further advised girls not to subjugate child bearing and breast feeding for higher education and career hence, young students like those in medicine should no postpone marriages due to their medical career.

The lecturer did not forget to list some of the costs of caring for a full blown breast cancer, like the surgery which cost about N200,000 while the drugs costs N40,000 to N120,000 each month, the Radiotherapy and Hormone therapy cost 100,000 to 50,000 respectively.

Professor Moses Momoh urged all to disseminate the awareness of the deadly plague which is estimated to record 12 million new cases and 7.6 million deaths in 2008 and projected to raise 26.4 million new cases with 17.6 million deaths by the year 2030.

It is estimated that cancer kill more people than malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis put together. It is also estimated 1 in 8 white American will develop cancer in their lifetime,1 in 11 British women will experience such and I in 12 in African American women will also develop cancer in their lifetime. In Nigeria it is estimated that 24.6 million will suffer breast cancer in 2020.

×