Reproductive Pattern of Parous Women and the Risk of Cancer in Later Life

SIMPLE SUMMARY: There is evidence to suggest that reproductive factors play an important role in women’s future cancer risk, particularly hormone-dependent malignancies such as breast cancer. However, some controversy remains regarding their effect on any cancer risk. This study aimed to assess the risk of any cancer in a nested case-control study of fertile women living in northeast Scotland in relation to: total number of pregnancies, cumulative time pregnant, age at first pregnancy and interpregnancy interval. Women who were older at first delivery had an increased risk of breast and gastrointestinal cancer, and a reduced risk of cancers of the respiratory tract and uterine cervix, including carcinoma in situ. These findings warrant the investigation of mechanisms underpinning these associations. ABSTRACT: We assessed the risk of any and site-specific cancers in a case-control study of parous women living in northeast Scotland in relation to: total number of pregnancies, cumulative time pregnant, age at first delivery and interpregnancy interval. We analysed 6430 women with cancer and 6430 age-matched controls. After adjustment for confounders, women with increasing number of pregnancies had similar odds of cancer diagnosis as women with only one pregnancy. The adjusted odds of cancer diagnosis were no higher in women with cumulative pregnancy time 50–150 weeks compared to those pregnant ≤ 50 weeks. Compared with women who had their first delivery at or before 20 years of age, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) among those aged 21–25 years was 0.81, 95% CI 0.74, 0.88; 26–30 years AOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69, 0.86; >30 years AOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.55, 0.73. After adjustment, the odds of having any cancer were higher in women who had an inter-pregnancy interval >3 years compared to those with no subsequent pregnancy (AOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05, 1.30). Older age at first pregnancy was associated with increased risk of breast and gastrointestinal cancer, and reduced risk of invasive cervical, carcinoma in situ of the cervix and respiratory cancer.