Quick Fact: Dr. Limbaugh promotes false notion that abortion is linked to breast cancer

Special Programs Abortion Rights & Reproductive Health

Written by Todd Gregory

Published

On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh told a caller that “there are studies that say abortions increase the chances of breast cancer.” In fact, the American Cancer Society says that “research studies have not found a cause-and-effect relationship between abortion and breast cancer,” and the National Cancer Institute states that it found that “having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman's subsequent risk of developing breast cancer.”

From the November 19 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

CALLER: You did a story awhile back on women that take the birth control pill. I don't, because of the high risk of breast cancer in my family. Now they want to take away my mammogram, but I want you to know what kind of woman I am. I like a manly man. I've never taken the pill in my life. Do you remember that story?

LIMBAUGH: Fr-- the last time you called?

CALLER: No, no, no. The birth control --

LIMBAUGH: Oh, you mean the news story -- oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The birth-- not only birth control, but there are studies that say abortions increase the chances of breast cancer, as well.

CALLER: Right, right.

Fact: American Cancer Society and Nation Cancer Institute say abortions do not increase the risk of breast cancer

On a page titled “Is Abortion Linked to Breast Cancer?” the American Cancer Society's website states that “research studies have not found a cause-and-effect relationship between abortion and breast cancer.” Similarly, the website of the National Cancer Institute, Cancer.gov, states on a page titled “Abortion, Miscarriage, and Breast Cancer Risk”:

In February 2003, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) convened a workshop of over 100 of the world's leading experts who study pregnancy and breast cancer risk. Workshop participants reviewed existing population-based, clinical, and animal studies on the relationship between pregnancy and breast cancer risk, including studies of induced and spontaneous abortions. They concluded that having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman's subsequent risk of developing breast cancer. A summary of their findings, titled Summary Report: Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer Workshop, can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/ere-workshop-report.