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Pregnancy characteristics and maternal breast cancer risk: a review of the epidemiologic literature

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Abstract

The short- and long-term effects of pregnancy on breast cancer risk are well documented. Insight into potential biological mechanisms for these associations may be gained by studying breast cancer risk and pregnancy characteristics (e.g., preeclampsia, twining), which may reflect hormone levels during pregnancy. To date, no review has synthesized the published literature for pregnancy characteristics and maternal breast cancer using systematic search methods. We conducted a systematic search to identify all published studies. Using PUBMED (to 31 July 2009), 42 relevant articles were identified. Several studies suggest that multiple births may be associated with a lowered breast cancer risk of about 10–30%, but results were inconsistent across 18 studies. The majority of 13 studies suggest about a 20–30% reduction in risk with preeclampsia and/or gestational hypertension. Six of seven studies reported no association for infant sex and breast cancer risk. Data are sparse and conflicting for other pregnancy characteristics such as gestational age, fetal growth, pregnancy weight gain, gestational diabetes, and placental abnormalities. The most consistent findings in a generally sparse literature are that multiple births and preeclampsia may modestly reduce breast cancer risk. Additional research is needed to elucidate associations between pregnancy characteristics, related hormonal profiles, and breast cancer risk.

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Acknowledgments

Funding

Michigan State University T32 training program in Perinatal Epidemiology (NIH-T32 HD046377) and National Cancer Institute grant (NIH-R03CA128010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Institute for Medicine & Public Health, Vanderbilt University, 2525 West End Avenue, 8th Floor, Nashville, TN, 37203-1738, USA

    Sarah Nechuta

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Nigel Paneth & Ellen M. Velie

  3. Department of Pediatrics & Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Nigel Paneth

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  1. Sarah Nechuta
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Correspondence to Sarah Nechuta.

Appendix: Additional details on search strategy

Appendix: Additional details on search strategy

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Search terms (keywords and medical subject headings)

  1. 1.

    Outcome:

    1. a.

      Breast cancer: breast neoplasms [Mesh] OR (“breast cancer”)

  2. 2.

    Exposures:

    1. a.

      Fetal growth and birthweight: birthweight OR birthweights OR “birth weight” OR “fetal growth”

    2. b.

      Preterm delivery/length of gestation: premature OR preterm OR “preterm birth” OR “preterm delivery” OR “length of gestation” OR “gestational length” OR “pregnancy weeks” OR “pregnancy length” OR “weeks gestation” OR “gestation” OR “gestation length” OR “gestational age”

    3. c.

      Multiple births: twinning OR “multiple births” OR “multiple birth” OR “twins” OR “twin” OR “multiple pregnancy” OR “multiple pregnancies” OR “multiple fetuses” OR “twin pregnancy” OR “twin pregnancies” or “twin birth” OR “multifetal gestation”

    4. d.

      Preeclampsia: preeclampsia OR preeclampsia OR eclampsia OR toxemia OR preeclamptic OR preeclamptic

    5. e.

      Pregnancy-induced hypertension: “pregnancy-induced hypertension” OR (pregnancy and hypertension) OR (pregnancy and “high blood pressure”) OR “pregnancy-related hypertension”

    6. f.

      Placental characteristics: placenta OR placental OR “placental characteristics”

    7. g.

      Gestational diabetes: “gestational diabetes” OR (gestational and diabetes) or (diabetes and pregnancy) OR (“insulin resistance” and pregnancy) OR (“glucose intolerance” and pregnancy) OR “diabetes during pregnancy”

    8. h.

      Pregnancy weight gain: (weight and pregnancy) OR (“weight gain” and pregnancy) OR “pregnancy weight gain”

    9. i.

      Offspring sex: [(offspring and sex) or (offspring and sex)]

    10. j.

      Overall terms: “perinatal” OR “pregnancy factors” or “pregnancy characteristics” OR “prenatal” OR (“birth characteristics” and offspring) OR “pregnancy conditions” OR “pregnancy-related factors”

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Nechuta, S., Paneth, N. & Velie, E.M. Pregnancy characteristics and maternal breast cancer risk: a review of the epidemiologic literature. Cancer Causes Control 21, 967–989 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9524-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9524-7

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