Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41975433›Full record

SynthesisBMC medicine2026

The association of pregnancy complications/risk factors with the development of cancer in women: an umbrella review.

Jemma Healey, Megha Singh, Clare Richards, Rachel Plachcinski, Ngawai Moss, Leila Ghalichi, Siang Ing Lee, Stephanie Hanley, Zoe Vowles, Francesca L Crowe and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jemma HealeyUniversity of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Megha SinghInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. m.singh.6@bham.ac.uk.
Clare RichardsNHS Grampian, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Rachel PlachcinskiPatient and Public Representative, London, UK.
Ngawai MossPatient and Public Representative, London, UK.
Leila GhalichiInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Siang Ing LeeInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Stephanie HanleyInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Zoe VowlesGuy's and St., Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust , London, UK.
Francesca L CroweInstitute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Krishnarajah NirantharakumarSchool of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Mairead BlackAberdeen Centre for Women's Health Research, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/W014432/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmong women in the UK, over 186,000 new cancer diagnoses and around 78,000 cancer deaths occurred annually from 2017 to 2019. Evidence suggests that pregnancy complications are linked to mortality and morbidity risks in later life. This umbrella review aims to assess the association between pregnancy complications and cancer risk. It forms part of a series of studies exploring associations between pregnancy complications and long-term health conditions.

methodsMEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to April 2024. Key search terms encompassed 'cancer' and 'pregnancy complications' or 'pregnancy risk factors'. Screening data extraction and quality appraisal (AMSTAR 2) were completed by two independent reviewers. Data were synthesised narratively and quantitatively. Relative risks (RR)/odds ratio (OR)/hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals were reported.

resultsOf the 25 reviews assessed for methodological quality, 2 were rated high, 12 moderate, 9 low, and 2 critically low. After excluding 10 overlapping reviews and 2 critically low reviews, 13 reviews included reviews consisted of 170 primary studies. Associations between 7 pregnancy complications and 17 cancers are reported. Women with molar pregnancy had four-fold higher risk of developing gestational trophoblastic neoplasia [OR 4.72 (1.81-12.32)]. Miscarriage was associated with thyroid cancer [OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.15-1.44)], but not with breast or ovarian cancer. Pre-eclampsia was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer [RR 0.89 (0.83-0.95)] and an almost twofold higher risk of ovarian cancer [RR 1.82 (1.16-2.85)]. Gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of thyroid cancer [RR 1.28 (1.16-1.42)], stomach cancer [RR 1.43 (1.02-2.00)], liver cancer [RR 1.27 (1.03-1.55)], and blood cancer [RR 1.48 (1.04-2.09)] but was not associated with other cancers studied. Preterm birth showed a very small association with breast cancer risk (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.07). There was no significant association between caesarean section and cervical cancer or multiple births and breast cancer.

conclusionsSome pregnancy complications were associated with selected cancer outcomes, although the evidence was heterogeneous and limited by potential bias, confounding, and inconsistent review quality.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPregnancy ComplicationsFemaleHumansPregnancyRisk FactorsCancerGestational diabetesOvarian cancerPre-eclampsiaPregnancy complication

Identifiers

PMID41975433
PMCPMC13185374

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.