Does pregnancy protect against ovarian cancer?

Journal article

A clear inverse relation between average completed family size and mortality from ovarian cancer in different populations of women is seen from one country to another; for successive generations of women living within the same country; in married and single women; and in different social, religious, immigrant, and ethnic groups. The findings suggest that pregnancy--or some component of the child-bearing process--protects directly against ovarian cancer. This protection seems to persist throughout life. The more-than-twofold increase in the age-standardised ovarian-cancer death-rate in England and Wales since 1931 can be explained largely by changes in the average completed family size.

Authors: Beral, V; Fraser, P; Chilvers, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Lancet
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 8073
• Pages: 1083-1087
• Publication date: 1978-05-01
• DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)90925-x
• EISSN: 1474-547X
• ISSN: 0140-6736
• Language: English
• Keywords: Adult; Wales; Japan; Female; Middle Aged; United States; Ovarian Neoplasms; England; Parity; Humans; Europe; Family Characteristics; History, 20th Century; Pregnancy; Canada; Social Class; History, 19th Century