Breastfeeding Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Breastfeeding, including details on breast feeding benefits, problems, alcohol, diet.

Reproductive issues for women with BRCA mutations.

Friedman LC, Kramer RM

Baylor College of Medicine, The Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. loisf@bcm.tmc.edu

Women carrying BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations face difficult and confusing reproductive decisions that fall into three categories: issues relating to risk-reducing surgeries, issues relating to use of oral contraceptives/tubal ligation, and issues relating to pregnancy and breastfeeding. Risk-reducing surgeries may confer survival benefits, but they also affect quality of life. Oral contraceptives potentially protect mutation carriers against ovarian cancer but increase the risk of early-onset breast cancer, and evidence for the efficacy of tubal ligation in reducing ovarian cancer risk in BRCA mutation carriers is contradictory. Women with BRCA mutations may increase their risk of breast cancer by becoming pregnant before age 40 years, but breastfeeding may decrease risk of breast cancer in women with BRCA mutations, regardless of age. BRCA mutation carriers desiring to become pregnant must deal with a variety of psychosocial issues, some with significant ethical implications, with minimal guidance from research.

Published 23 March 2005 in J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr.
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