Breast cancer risk less when pregnant mom smoked

United Pro Smoker's Rights ^ | 5-5-05 | Michelle Rizzo

[SheLion]

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women whose mothers smoked while they were pregnant have a reduced likelihood of developing breast cancer, according to a new study.

However, "This observation certainly does not suggest that smoking is beneficial," Dr. William C. Strohsnitter told Reuters Health. "The very small reduction in breast cancer would be offset by the large number of other diseases caused by cigarette smoking."

The reason for the finding may be connected to estrogen, which is linked to breast cancer risk.

"Clinical studies show that maternal cigarette smoking reduces pregnancy estrogen levels," Strohsnitter, of Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, and colleagues write in the medical journal Epidemiology. "Women prenatally exposed to maternal cigarette smoke may, therefore, have a lower breast cancer risk."

The team's report is based on an analysis of data from the National Cooperative DES Adenosis project, a follow-up study that examined the health outcomes in women exposed in the womb to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a drug later found to have harmful effects.

The study participant's mothers gave information about their smoking habits during pregnancy. The investigators then compared the rates of breast cancer among some 4000 women who were or were not exposed to maternal cigarette smoke before they were born.

After adjustment for other risk factors, women exposed in the womb to cigarette smoke had approximately half the breast cancer rate as those not exposed.

The association was more apparent among women whose mothers smoked no more than 15 cigarettes per day than among those whose mothers were heavier smokers. However, there were too few heavy smokers to precisely estimate a dose-response relationship.

SOURCE: Epidemiology, May 2005.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/

[SheLion]

Many of us mom's know this!

[SheLion]

I bet this brings out the anti smokers and the zot!

So flame away!!!

But facts are facts!

[TommyDale]

I wonder if using crack was also of benefit?

[Nataku X]

I'll remember that and take up smoking if I get pregnant.

[SheLion]

I'll remember that and take up smoking if I get pregnant.

Nooooooooooo if you don't smoke now, don't start please!!!

[Nataku X]

And I hope I didn't need the sarcasm tag in post #4...

[SheLion]

I wonder if using crack was also of benefit?

Common Tommy.  Get real.

[Nataku X]

Was being quite sarcastic, don't worry. :-)

On a serious note, very few drugs have no side-effects, and very few drugs have no benefits. It's not surprising that smoking has -some- benefits, even if they result in a net negative for many people. I'm not ever going to start, if only because I could never afford it.

[TommyDale]

I have an ex-sister-in-law who did crack for years and probably who knows what else. Her kids are like zombies. Took her young daughter to the crack house with her and probably sold her body for crack. I have definite opinions on pregnant women doing anything detrimental to unborn innocent babies.

[martin_fierro]

Color me naughty, but that photo is more than a little hot.

< |:)~

[xJones]

Women whose mothers smoked while they were pregnant have a reduced likelihood of developing breast cancer, according to a new study.

Oh, no!!! Can't these studies ever be consistent?! It's bad to smoke, no, it's not if you're pregnant. A lot of Vitamin C is good for you, watch out, not too much! Bran is good, no it doesn't anything for you!

(Dwindling into a sobbing, crying mess) I give up!

[Kozak]

But facts are facts!

Yup facts ARE facts

Smoking and Reproductive Outcomes

Women smokers, like men smokers, are at increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary disease, but women smokers also experience unique risks related to menstrual and reproductive function.

Women who smoke have increased risk conception delay and for primary and secondary infertility.

Women who smoke may have a modest increase in risks for ectopic pregnancy and spontaneous abortion.

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for premature rupture of membranes, abruptio placentae (placenta separation from the uterus), and placenta previal (abnormal location of the placenta, which can cause massive hemorrhaging during delivery; smoking is also associated with a modest increase in risk for preterm delivery.

Infants born to women who smoke during pregnancy have a lower average birth weight and are more likely to be small for gestational age than infants born to women who do not smoke. Low birth weight is associated with increased risk for neonatal, perinatal, and infant morbidity and mortality. The longer the mother smokes during pregnancy, the greater the effect on the infant’s birth weight.

The risk for perinatal mortality, both stillbirths and neonatal deaths, and the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are higher for the offspring of women who smoke during pregnancy.

Women who smoke are less likely to breast-feed their infants than are women who do not.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_forwomen/factsheet_outcomes.htm

Smoke if you want to, but DON'T pretend it's healthy for mom or baby.

[G.Mason]

I'm still in a snit over you having the noive to have "Florida: FL Law allows right to deadly force" pulled yesterday just 'cause some mental midgets thought it came from a pro-choice (abortion) publication ... so I'm not going to type any long winded observation on this here post, but will instead jump up and down, stamping my feet. ;)

[Gabz]

I say enough already with these studpid "studies."

[spectre]

My mother smoked like a chimney, and I promise you this study is full of hot air!

Trust me with this :~(

sw

[mabelkitty]

Seems to be a connection to use of birth control pills rather than smoking. Didn't both pre-natal care and birth control coincide time-wise?

[Ditter]

>>>>>>>(Dwindling into a sobbing crying mess)>>>>
Boo hoo me too! My mother smoked when I was a kid and aggravated my asthma but I am not sure she had started by the time she was pregnant with me, but she is dead now from smoking related aliments. The worst of all outcomes! Oh woe is me! ;9/smirk/

[muir_redwoods]

Women who aborted all of their pregnancies never had kids with cancer!

[rintense]

Thanks mom, for making me safer!

[rod1]

Yeah as a developmental immuntoxicologist I can take the bait and reply as anticipated.

Even in the first few lines, the article says it all--the incidence of other diseases far outweights the effect on breast cancer. Twenty years or more latency period for breast cancer. The immune system is screwed up enough right away that breat cancer would be the least of these kids' worries. I suspect these kids as a population dont have to worry about old age dementia either. Very reassuring.