How Periods Increase Your Risk of Getting Breast Cancer

Tabitha Ndichu
Oct 23, 2020
2 min read

It is breast cancer awareness month and I thought I would share with you my very recent finding.

It was an enlightening moment when I found out that women who started menstruating (having periods) younger than age 12 have a higher risk of having breast cancer later in life. The same is true for women who go through menopause when they're older than 55. Did you know this?

Breast development starts earlier than menstrual periods, how was this time for you?

I remember I used to really dread this stage, my boobs were sore and it hurt to sleep on my tummy, run and having to scream when I removed my bralette at the end of the day. This reminds me of the early months of pregnancy as well when your boobs feel so sore.

The earlier your breasts form, the sooner they're ready to interact with hormones inside and outside your body, as well as with chemicals in products that are hormone disruptors. This longer interaction with hormones and hormone disruptors can increase your risk of breast cancer.

Also, when girls start menstruating at a younger age, the time between breast development and a first full-term pregnancy is usually longer than when menstruation happens later. During this time, breast tissue tends to be immature, overactive, and particularly sensitive to hormonal influences.

The longer a woman menstruates, the higher her lifetime exposure to the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. All of these factors are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer later in life.

How to control your risk of getting breast cancer:

While you can't control when you start and stop menstruating, you can make lifestyle choices that can keep your risk as low as it can be:

1.Maintaining a healthy weight.

By eating the right foods while minding your portions.

Including fruits and veggies in your diet is also a plus.

2.Exercising regularly.

This helps to keep the weight off and to ensure your body is functioning at its optimum.

3.Limiting alcohol and smoking.

These are just a few of the steps you can take. Girls who maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly may be able to prevent early puberty which means a lesser probability of getting breast cancer.

Have you gotten tested for breast cancer?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Also, are you using the right pads when on your period?

Pads that don’t cause leaks or slip ups and are as soft as a feather giving you that extra confidence you need to tackle your day without any worry?