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Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Arab countries with a young age of around 50 years at presentation. Locally advanced disease is very common and total mastectomy is the most commonly performed surgery. Awareness campaigns and value of clinical breast examination were validated in the Cairo Breast Cancer Screening Trial. More radiation centers and early detection would optimize care and reduce the currently high rate of total mastectomies. Population-based screening in those countries with affluent resources and accessible care should be implemented.

Background: Young age remains a controversial issue as a prognostic factor in breast cancer. Debate includes patients from different parts of the world. Almost 50% of patients with breast cancer seen at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) are below age 50.

The aim of this study was to compare the pregnancy outcome and delivery complications in women 40 years or older (cases) to that of women 20 to 30 years old (controls). Over a 5-year period, 319 cases had a singleton delivery in our institution. These women were compared with 326 controls. Parity was significantly higher in cases compared with controls (3.2 vs. 1.8). Advanced maternal age, compared with younger age, was associated with significantly higher rates of preterm delivery (16.0 vs. 8.0%), cesarean delivery (CS) (31.3 vs. 13.5%), and the occurrence of one or more antepartum complications (29.5 vs. 16.6%). When the two groups were subdivided according to parity, rates of preterm delivery, CS, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, chronic hypertension, and labor induction were each significantly higher among older multiparas compared with control multiparas. However, only preterm delivery, CS rates, and uterine fibroids were found to be significantly higher in older nulliparous compared with young nulliparous women. We conclude that multiparous women at least 40 years old have a higher antepartum complication rate including intrauterine fetal death compared with younger women.