Chinese Study Confirms Abortion/Breast Cancer Link

[Origanalist]

A meta-analysis of the association between induced abortion and breast cancer risk among Chinese females

Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the association between induced abortion (IA) and breast cancer risk among Chinese females.
Methods
We searched three English databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Wiley) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang, and VIP) for studies up to December 2012, supplemented by manual searches. Two reviewers independently conducted the literature searching, study selection, and data extraction and quality assessment of included studies. Random effects models were used to estimate the summary odds ratios (ORs) and the 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of 36 articles (two cohort studies and 34 case–control studies) covering 14 provinces in China were included in this review. Compared to people without any history of IA, an increased risk of breast cancer was observed among females who had at least one IA (OR = 1.44, 95 % CI 1.29–1.59, I 2 = 82.6 %, p < 0.001, n = 34). No significant publication bias was found among the included studies (Egger test, p = 0.176). The risk increased to 1.76 (95 % CI 1.39–2.22) and 1.89 (95 % CI 1.40–2.55) for people who had at least two IAs and at least three IAs, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed similar results to the primary results. Meta-regression analysis of the included studies found that the association between IA and breast cancer risk attenuated with increasing percent of IA in the control group (β = −0.022, p < 0.001).

Conclusion
IA is significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer among Chinese females, and the risk of breast cancer increases as the number of IA increases. If IA were to be confirmed as a risk factor for breast cancer, high rates of IA in China may contribute to increasing breast cancer rates.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10552-013-0325-7

 

[donnay]

Hmm...interesting.

 

[angelatc]

There are a myriad of studies that indicate that abortion has a lot of side effects, but our media never reports them.


I think it is important to note that in this study they are referring to induced abortion, and not spontaneous abortion.

 

[Zippyjuan]

One thing to consider. China- with its mandated "one child" program performs far more induced abortions than the US but still has a breast cancer rate one fifth of that of the US. If induced abortions are indeed a major factor in breast cancer, one should expect China to have a higher- not lower- rate than the US.
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-10/16/content_17036251.htm

The US still outpaces China in breast cancer diagnoses: One in eight women in the US will be diagnosed in their lifetimes; in China, one out of 40 will be diagnosed.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/6724580a-8d64-11e2-82d2-00144feabdc0.html

Chinese doctors have performed more than 330m abortions since the government implemented a controversial family planning policy 40 years ago, according to official data from the health ministry.

China’s one-child policy has been the subject of a heated debate about its economic consequences as the population ages. Forced abortions and sterilisations have also been criticised by human rights campaigners such as Chen Guangcheng, the blind legal activist who sought refuge at the US embassy in Beijing last year.

 

[eduardo89]

I think it is important to note that in this study they are referring to induced abortion, and not spontaneous abortion.

I hate when people call a miscarriage a 'spontaneous abortion.' It makes it seem like they're similar, when one is the natural death of a baby and the other is outright murder.

 

[eduardo89]

One thing to consider. China- with its mandated "one child" program performs far more induced abortions than the US but still has a breast cancer rate one fifth of that of the US. If induced abortions are indeed a major factor in breast cancer, one should expect China to have a higher- not lower- rate than the US.

Not neccesarily, we also have to take into account environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors into account.

Edit: genetics seem to play a very large role in the risk of breast cancer, Asian-American women are less likely than White American women to get it.

 

[FloralScent]

Not neccesarily, we also have to take into account environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors into account.

Edit: genetics seem to play a very large role in the risk of breast cancer, Asian-American women are about half as likely as White American women to get it.

Stop, you're just confusing him.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Not neccesarily, we also have to take into account environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors into account.

Edit: genetics seem to play a very large role in the risk of breast cancer, Asian-American women are less likely than White American women to get it.

Actually you are supporting my point- that other factors are much more significant. Thanks.

 

[wetroof]

Not neccesarily, we also have to take into account environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors into account.

Edit: genetics seem to play a very large role in the risk of breast cancer, Asian-American women are less likely than White American women to get it.

so abortion then is perhaps not a major factor in breast cancer, but 1 factor of many, or a minor factor, that's what zippy was saying. i think diet, light, sleep and electro-magnetic-freq. could explain the difference in rates in china and US. genetics as well perhaps.

* I replied to your post before you edited.

 

[eduardo89]

Actually you are supporting my point- that other factors are much more significant. Thanks.

Not necessarily. White and black women are much more likely to have abortions in the US than Asian women, which could be one of the contributing factors to them having a higher incidence rate of breast cancer. They are also more likely to be using hormonal birth control and abortifacient pills, which has also been linked to increase rates of breast cancer.

What we would have to compare are the breast cancer rates of Chinese women and Asian-American women to see if abortions are a major or just a minor factor. Comparing Chinese women to American women of all races (90% are white, black, or American Indian) is of no use if we want to compare breast cancer incidence rates vs abortions.

 

[Zippyjuan]

The summary of the study is very vague. It includes no figures for sample sizes or if other factors such as diet and environment or genetics were controlled for.

 

[Origanalist]

The summary of the study is very vague. It includes no figures for sample sizes or if other factors such as diet and environment or genetics were controlled for.

Yes, but I didn't want to pay $39.95 to access the whole thing.

 

[Origanalist]

Not necessarily. White and black women are much more likely to have abortions in the US than Asian women, which could be one of the contributing factors to them having a higher incidence rate of breast cancer. They are also more likely to be using hormonal birth control and abortifacient pills, which has also been linked to increase rates of breast cancer.

What we would have to compare are the breast cancer rates of Chinese women and Asian-American women to see if abortions are a major or just a minor factor. Comparing Chinese women to American women of all races (90% are white, black, or American Indian) is of no use if we want to compare breast cancer incidence rates vs abortions.

//

 

[mosquitobite]

I think birth control pills would make more sense than abortions alone. American women have a much higher access and use of them. But really, if you believe that life begins at conception then many pills would be considered abortifacient since they don't prevent conception, just implantation.

But manipulating hormones is bound to have unintended consequences.

And another factor is not breast feeding after birth.

 

[angelatc]

I hate when people call a miscarriage a 'spontaneous abortion.' It makes it seem like they're similar, when one is the natural death of a baby and the other is outright murder.

I know what you're saying, but the medical profession considers an abortion to be any pregnancy that ended prior to viability. So, there are two types of abortion: spontaneous, and murder.

 

[angelatc]

One thing to consider. China- with its mandated "one child" program performs far more induced abortions than the US but still has a breast cancer rate one fifth of that of the US. If induced abortions are indeed a major factor in breast cancer, one should expect China to have a higher- not lower- rate than the US.
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-10/16/content_17036251.htm



http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/6724580a-8d64-11e2-82d2-00144feabdc0.html

Yes, but the low rate of breast cancer in Chinese women would make it easier to see a direct relationship, no? And they don't have the political aftermath to deal with, either.