Medication abortion
methods have not been shown to have any impact on a woman's risk of
breast cancer. Further, there is no pathophysiologic reason to
suspect that medication abortion methods would impact breast health.
Several studies
have conclusively shown that there is no relationship between induced
abortion (in general) and breast cancer risk. To date, the largest
study on this question (involving the records of 1.5 million women)
was conducted in Denmark.
Using data from The National Registry of Induced Abortions and the
Danish Cancer Registry, the researchers found that induced abortion(s)
had no overall effect on the risk of breast cancer. The size of this
study and the manner in which it was conducted provides substantial
evidence that induced abortion does not affect a woman's risk of developing
breast cancer and confirms the results of numerous smaller studies
which have repeatedly shown that abortion neither causes, nor contributes
to, the development of breast cancer.
In 2003, the National Cancer Institute in the United States convened a workshop of over 100 of the world’s leading experts
on pregnancy and breast cancer risk.
These experts reviewed existing research on the relationship between pregnancy and breast cancer risk, including studies of
that specifically examined the relationship between induced and spontaneous abortion and breast cancer. The review included population-based
studies, clinical studies, and animal research. Participants concluded that having an abortion or miscarriage
does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of developing breast cancer.
A summary of their findings can be found here.
References
Melbye
M, Wohlfahrt J, Olsen JH, et al. Induced abortion and the risk of
breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 1997; 336(2): 81-85.
Beral V, Bull D, Doll R, et al. Breast cancer and abortion: Collaborative reanalysis of data from 53 epidemiological
studies, including 83,000 women with breast cancer from 16 countries. Lancet. 2004;363(9414):1007-16.
