October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American women. About 200,000 women a year get breast cancer and nearly 40,000 die annually, the CDC reports. About 11% of women who get breast cancer are younger than 45 years of age, and when the cancer is found, it’s often in an advanced stage and therefore, more difficult to treat.
Getting screened via mammogram or thermography (for women too young to have a mammogram), is vital in order to catch breast cancer at an early stage, especially for those at risk due to family members having experienced the disease and for women over 50,. Women should also consistently check themselves, preferably once a month.
Studies on Abortion and Breast Cancer
For years, the debate about abortion being linked to breast cancer has raged. Although there are studies that show there is not a link, there are many studies which show there is – including a meta-analysis published in the February 2014 issue of Cancer Causes & Control. These findings are based on studies done on women in China, a country where induced abortion is extremely common due to its “one-child law.” Professor Jack Scarisbrick of England said of this study, “Historically Chinese women have had less breast cancer than Western women, but the incidence of the disease has risen ‘at an alarming rate’ over the last two decades. It is an authoritative piece of research which cannot be ignored. Indeed with over 50 studies showing a positive link between abortion and breast cancer, it is incumbent on the medical community to act now in the interest of women by taking this issue seriously.”
A blog post by CompassCare of Rochester, NY, states, “This study and many more show a 44% relative risk increase of breast cancer after one abortion and a 76% risk increase after two or more!”
Investigate for Yourself and Protect Yourself
Here’s a link to a listing of various studies conducted during the past 50 years regarding the issue of abortion and breast cancer, including those that show a correlation between the two and those that do not.
The Breast Cancer Institute published some Fact Sheets regarding the potential link between abortion and breast cancer, including the physiological reasoning behind that determination: http://www.bcpinstitute.org/FactSheets/FS-INTROD-ABC-LINK.pdf
http://www.bcpinstitute.org/FactSheets/FS-induced_abortion.pdf
Here are some YouTube videos links which provide information from Dr. Joel Brind, a professor of human biology and endocrinology, on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgoL3k2BWgA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es7EEq5DqKY
If you’re a woman who is considering abortion, you owe it to yourself not only to be screened for breast cancer this month, but also to investigate on your own the potential risk for the disease after having an induced abortion.
This month’s recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an appropriate time to consider the possible link between abortion and breast cancer as well to remember to take this disease seriously – cancer kills, and breast cancer kills many women, young and old, every year. Take the time to learn more in order to protect yourself better.