It may not seem so at the time, but women who suffer through morning sickness during their pregnancies actually may be fortunate. Those women may have a 30 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer later in life than mothers-to-be who experience nine nausea-free months, a new study by epidemiologists at the University at Buffalo suggests.

“Although the exact mechanism responsible for causing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy has yet to be pinpointed, it likely is a result of changing levels of ovarian and placental hormone production, which may include higher circulating levels of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin,” said David Jaworowicz, Jr., first author on the study. “In vitro studies have shown that this hormone possesses several activities that have potential protective effects against cancer cells,” said Jaworowicz, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Social Preventive Medicine in UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions.

Pregnancy Nausea/Vomiting May Indicate Lower Risk Of Breast Cancer