Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy have more to worry about than getting their figures back after delivery, new research suggests. In fact, says the study, weight gain during pregnancy puts women at an increased risk of developing breast cancer later in life.
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The research, presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in San Francisco, showed that women who gained more than 38 pounds during pregnancy had a 40 percent increased risk of developing breast cancer after menopause.
Previous research has linked obesity in women with an increased risk of breast cancer.
The increased cancer risk in overweight women is believed to occur because fat cells produce oestrogen and extra oestrogen is linked to breast cancer. The researchers behind the latest study say the additional burst of oestrogen women get during pregnancy may further boost the odds for breast cancer.
Woman is the only creature that loses her fertility while she is alive. All other living things remain fertile until they die. This implies that older women were necessary to the species even when she could no longer have children.
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