Preterm Delivery and Breast Cancer Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Melbye M, Wohlfahrt J, Andersen A-M N, Westergaard T, Andersen P K
Primary Institution: Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut
Hypothesis
Does a preterm delivery carry a higher risk of breast cancer than a full-term delivery?
Conclusion
A preterm delivery of 32+ weeks gestation did not significantly increase a woman's risk of contracting breast cancer, but deliveries of less than 32 weeks did show an increased risk.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 474,156 women to assess breast cancer risk.
- Preterm deliveries of less than 32 weeks gestation were associated with a 1.72-fold increased risk of breast cancer.
- Relative risks for different gestational ages were calculated after adjusting for various factors.
Takeaway
Having a baby too early might not be bad for breast cancer risk unless it's really early, like before 32 weeks.
Methodology
The study used a population-based cohort of women and linked various registries to identify breast cancer cases.
Participant Demographics
Women born since April 1935 in Denmark.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
1.00–4.45
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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