A Link Between Breast Cancer and Childbirth

Our oldest son turned 10 this week, and I also learned something ironic that stopped me in my tracks.

Nearly half of all breast cancer diagnoses in U.S. women under 45 (about 13,500 cases each year) occur within the FIRST 10 YEARS after giving birth, whether someone breastfed or not.

I had no idea that childbirth could have been a risk factor when I was diagnosed with stage 2 aggressive breast cancer at 39, when my oldest was just 7.

For more than two decades, researchers have studied this pattern: young mothers are more likely to develop aggressive forms of breast cancer, with higher risks of metastasis and poorer outcomes.

Today breast cancer cases that emerge within 10 years of giving birth have a name: postpartum breast cancer (PPBC).

I’m sharing all of this because I believe that knowledge is power. Awareness leads to early detection, informed care, and better outcomes.

If you’ve given birth, talking with your doctor and staying in tune with your body is one more way to protect your health—for yourself and for the people who love you most.

Source: breastcancer.org

#factfriday