[Gestational characteristics in women with breast cancer].

In a survey of 250 women with breast cancer and 250 healthy women from a matched control group (matching in age, nationality, and residence) no significant difference was found between the diseased and the healthy women in the average number of pregnant women and the average duration of pregnancy. In the group of the diseased there were significantly more women with 1--2 pregnancies, i.e. below modal values in the healthy women (P < 0.10), and also a higher number of women with more frequent pregnancies. No significant difference was found in the number of nulliparas, but in the diseased both a larger and a smaller number of births in relation to the modal values of both groups (2 births) were characteristic, There was no significant difference in the distribution of the first delivery according to the women's age. The diseased had significantly fewer artificial abortuses (P < 0.001). There were more healthy women with 1--5 abortuses (P < 0.001) while the number of women with 5 and over 5 abortuses was the same in both groups. The number of women with spontaneous abortus proved significantly higher in the diseased than in the group of healthy women (P < 0.10). No evidence was obtained concerning the protective role of breast feeding which lasted longer in the diseased, both in the period of intensive breast breeding and following this period.