Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand

Do pregnancy losses influence breast cancer risk?

February 13, 2026

A Finnish registry‑based case‑control study of more than 31,000 women with breast cancer and 158,000 matched controls found no association between induced abortion or miscarriage and subsequent breast cancer risk. Odds ratios were near 1.0 for both premenopausal and postmenopausal disease, and results didn't vary by number or timing of pregnancy losses. Using five decades of high‑quality national data, the authors report that neither induced abortion nor miscarriage increases breast cancer risk.

Clinical takeaway: Pregnancy loss—whether induced or spontaneous—was not linked to increased breast cancer risk, supporting reassurance during patient counseling.

Source:

Katuwal S, et al. (2026, February 11). Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. Induced abortion, miscarriage, and the risk of breast cancer-A registry-based study from Finland. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41668566/