• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Pregnancy and Breast Cancer Prevention

October 18, 2009 by Autumn Calabrese Leave a Comment

Being that this is breast cancer awareness month I thought it would be interesting to talk about pregnancy and breast cancer prevention.  Yes, that’s right there are several studies out there that show pregnancy reduces a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer later in life.  The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is currently funding research that may lead to discoveries that identify ways to mimic pregnancy’s protective effects and translate them into effective prevention strategies. There are several pregnancy – related factors that reduce a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer later in life.

  • The younger a woman has her first child, the lower her risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.
  • A woman who has her first child after the age of 35 has approximately twice the risk of developing breast cancer as a woman who has a child before age 20.
  • A woman who has her first child around age 30 has approximately the same lifetime risk of developing breast cancer as a woman who has never given birth.
  • Having more than one child decreases a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer. In particular, having more than one child at a younger age decreases a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.
  • Pregnancy before age 30 and breastfeeding  reduces a woman’s total number of lifetime menstrual cycles, which is thought to be one reason they help lower your risk. The hormone estrogen fuels 80% of all breast cancers. Since pregnancy and lactation reduce your estrogen levels, your risk is decreased each time you are pregnant and while you are nursing your baby.

    How Does Pregnancy Help Prevent Breast Cancer?
    Breasts are developing during puberty, when hormone levels are changing rapidly and body-wide maturation is taking place. Breast tissue cells reach complete maturity after a full-term pregnancy. Your breasts are immature from your first menstrual cycle to your first pregnancy. Researcher Irma Russo, MD, of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia believes that limiting the time that breast cells are immature offers the best protection against cancerous changes. A hormone produced during pregnancy, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), causes breast cells to mature, and protects against future cancer development. The pregnancy hormone hCG actually causes permanent genetic changes in your mammary glands, and these genetic changes can help prevent breast cancer.

    This is great news in the fight against breast cancer and we will take all of the help we can get.  So ladies, although pregnancy and breastfeeding might make are boobs a little less perky it also gives us a little lift in protection for not losing them altogether.

    Comments

    comments

    Filed Under: Breast Cancer, Pregnancy

    About Autumn Calabrese

    Hi, I am the founder of Mighty Mommies Fitness in Los Angeles. My goal is to teach women how they can continue to exercise throughout their pregnancy safely and effectivly. Autumn Calabrese

    Reader Interactions

    Primary Sidebar

    Search

    Tell a friend

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    ModernMom Boutique

    ModernMom TV

    Featured

    10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

    The other day one of my teenage daughters told me she was … [Read More...] about 10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know

    Must Have

    STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

    April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

    Did you know?

    What Does It Mean When Your Partner Curses at You?

    What Does It Mean When Your Partner Curses at You?

    How to Take Wrinkles Out of Polyester With Steam

    Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

    How to Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

    Signs That Your Toddler Has Been Touched Inappropriately

    How to Help Young Kids Lose Weight

    Dating a Man With a Big Ego

    Dating a Man With a Big Ego

    Post-Pregnancy Headaches

    Post-Pregnancy Headaches

    Footer

    • About Us
    • Contact ModernMom
    • Advertise With Us
    • Press
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contributors

    Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

    Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

    The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.