British Scientists: Abortion Doubles Breast Cancer Risk
Source: The Age (England); December 4, 2001
London, England -- Women who have had an abortion are up totwice as
likely to suffer from breast cancer, British scientists saidtoday.
In the first study of its kind in Britain, researchers saidthe risk of
breast cancer is significantly increased if a woman hasundergone an
abortion.
The study, which looked at breast cancer and abortion ratesin Britain,
Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, draws a direct linkbetween rising
cases of breast cancer and an increase in abortion since itwas legalized.
The research, by the Populations and Pensions ResearchInstitution, an
independent group of statisticians, suggests that up to 50percent of
breast cancer cases in England and Wales over the next 26years will be
"attributable to abortion".
Launching the study, which was funded by the pro-lifeorganiation Life,
Professor Joel Brind of New York's City University anddirector of the
Breast Cancer Prevention Institute in New York, pointed outit was
intellectually watertight.
He said: "Women are at risk and they do not really knowabout it. They
certainly don't seem to be finding out about it from theNHS."
"This implicates a risk factor that is a matter ofchoice," Brind
explained. "Simply undergoing [an abortion] oncemeasurably increases the
risk of breast cancer. We are talking about thousands ofcases of breast
cancer over the next twenty years. This is a very soberingstatistic."
Researcher and author Patrick Carroll said the total numberof breast
cancer cases is expected to more than double in England from35,110 in
1997 to 77,000 in 2023. The rise was largely because ofabortions carried
out on women who have not yet had a baby, Carroll said.
"Breast cancer incidence has risen ... in parallel withrising abortion
rates. There is no doubt there is a causalrelationship," he said.
"Perhaps as many as 50 percent of these cases will beattributable to
abortion and unless there is a major improvement intreatment, the number
of women who die from the disease will risealarmingly."
Professor Brind said a surge in levels of the hormoneestrogen in the
first three months of pregnancy by around 2000 percent isthe most likely
mechanism for increasing risk in women who subsequentlyundergo an
abortion.
Life pointed to the research findings to assert thatabortion is
psychologically and physically dangerous.
Professor Jack Scarisbrick, chairman of Life, said: "Weaccuse the
government and the medical establishment of persistentrefusal to take
seriously the mounting evidence that abortion is asignificantly
independent risk factor for breast cancer."
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