Having More Children Linked to Lower Ovarian Cancer Rates

According to a new study in which “British researchers analyzed data from more than 8,000 women to determine risk factors” of the most prevalent types of ovarian cancer, “the more children a woman has, the lower her risk of ovarian cancer may be” (Preidt, 2015). In comparison to women without children, the results suggest women with one child have a “20 percent lower overall risk of ovarian cancer and a 40 percent lower risk of endometrioid and clear cell tumors,” and “each additional child offered an additional 8 percent reduction in overall ovarian cancer risk” (Preidt, 2015). Considering that there were over 8,000 participants in this study, these results seem to be significant. However, this cannot be confirmed yet because the p value (the standard measure of statistical significance) was not made available.

Nevertheless, it is interesting that having more children is inversely proportional to the chances of a woman developing ovarian cancer. Furthermore, women who have had tubal ligations also appear to have less of a chance of being afflicted with one of the four types of ovarian cancer (Preidt, 2015). have a “20 percent lower overall risk of ovarian cancer; a 20 percent lower risk for high-grade serous tumors; and a 50 percent lower risk for endometrioid and clear cell tumors” (Preidt, 2015). I realize this is slightly ironic because you cannot have more children if you have a tubal ligation, but this study is presumably referring to tubal ligation later in life, after women are certain they are done having children.

Of course it is controversial to suggest that women need to have more kids or should undergo tubal ligations later in life. However, we have seen that having a larger family, and thus a larger support system, seems to correlate with lower cancer incidence rates. If you are interested in learning how marriage can possibly reduce cancer, please refer to my post from September, 2015.

I personally think this research study is quite fascinating, but I do not believe that having a certain amount of kids or a tubal ligation necessarily defines the line between a cancer diagnosis and a cancer-free life. Of course, I could be wrong. But the fact of the matter is that cancer is generally accepted to arise as a result of a variety of contributing factors. Most of these factors are not as drastic as childbirth and tubal ligation. We can’t control our genetics, but we should definitely try to keep alcohol, cigarette, soda, BPA, and MSG consumption to a minimum. In our society it is often hard to live without some of these risk factors, but it is important to consider that we must do everything potentially harmful in moderation to minimize cancer risk!

Preidt, Robert. “Having Children Tied to Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk.” Retrieved Nov. 3, 2015 from http://www.webmd.com/ovarian-cancer/news/20151103/study-links-having-children-to-lower-ovarian-cancer-risk. 3 November 2015. Web.