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Reproductive Pattern of Parous Women and the Risk of Cancer in Later Life
Zahra Pasdar1, Neil W Scott2, Lisa Iversen3
1School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
Cancers
|August 7, 2021
Summary
Parity and pregnancy duration did not significantly alter cancer risk in women. However, later age at first birth and longer interpregnancy intervals were associated with increased cancer risk, particularly for specific cancer types.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Epidemiology
- Oncology
- Public Health
Background:
- Reproductive factors are known to influence cancer risk.
- Understanding the impact of parity and pregnancy timing is crucial for cancer prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between reproductive characteristics and cancer risk in parous women.
- To examine the influence of the number of pregnancies, cumulative pregnancy time, age at first delivery, and interpregnancy interval on cancer incidence.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 6430 women with cancer and 6430 age-matched controls.
- Analysis adjusted for potential confounding factors.
- Assessment of risk for any and site-specific cancers.
Main Results:
- Increasing number of pregnancies and cumulative pregnancy time showed no significant association with overall cancer risk.
- Older age at first delivery was linked to a reduced risk of overall cancer.
- Longer interpregnancy intervals (>3 years) were associated with a higher risk of any cancer diagnosis.
- Specific cancer risks varied by age at first pregnancy: increased risk for breast and gastrointestinal cancers, reduced risk for cervical and respiratory cancers.
Conclusions:
- While parity and pregnancy duration may not significantly impact overall cancer risk, age at first birth and interpregnancy intervals are important factors.
- Older maternal age at first delivery is associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, but an increased risk for others.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between reproductive history and specific cancer types.
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