High Fertility: Risk Factor for Carcinoma Cervix

Abstract

Cancer of the cervix is the most prevalent form of cancer in developing countries, and accounts for 25 to 50 per cent of all cancers occurring in Indian women. It is the second most common type of cancer in women throughout the world, with approximately 500,000 new cases detected each year, many of them fatal.

Early marriage, early coitus, early childbearing and repeated child births have been associated with the increasing risk of carcinoma cervix.The somatic consequences of repeated pregnancies may also be exemplified in the clear association between the incidence of cancer of the cervix and high parity. Moreover, the natural history of cervical cancer is such that it seems to follow a progressive course from epithelial dysplasia to carcinoma in situ to invasive carcinoma [G]. Fortunately, it is possible to detect it early during a preinvasive curable stage by the Pap smear test, and to take measures to prevent it from progressing into a life-threatening illness. In view of this, family planning enables women to control the interval between births and limit family size so that close and repeated pregnancies are avoided, and their health is safeguarded.