Late children increase the risk of breast cancer?

Women who have never had children or have had their first child late have higher risk of breast cancer. Dhairyasheel Savant, Consultant Cancer and reconstructive surgeon for Asian Institute of Oncology told NEWS.am Medicine about this.

"Women who have never been married and do not have children have the highest risk of breast cancer," he said.

He also added that women who have their first child late, are also at a higher risk of breast cancer. Why? Doctor Dhairyasheel Savant explained that cancer risks increase if a woman has continous ovarian cycles that never get "broken." Estrogens that synthesize in her body during those cycles may become harmful if she is predisposed to cancer. On the other hand, when the woman gets pregnant, the ovarian cycle gets "broken," which can significantly lower the risk of breast cancer. 

"So the risks are higher in those women who have children late or have no children," doctor Dhairyasheel Savant said.

So when is it late? Doctor Dhairyasheel Savant thinks that to lower the risk of breast cancer, it's perhaps a good idea to have your first child before 35.

By the way, many specialists say that breastfeeding can also decrease the risk of breast cancer, so does having 10 or more children.

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