More
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is promoting World Health Day 2025 by backing the World Health Organization (WHO) year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health. The campaign, titled “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”, is focused on ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths and supporting healthy pregnancies and births and better postnatal health.
Pregnancy and early childhood are extremely important periods, which can influence the cancer risk of both mothers and babies. Although the causes of childhood cancer are not fully understood, it is well established that chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) greatly increases the risk of developing liver cancer. About 90% of people who become infected with HBV in their first year of life develop chronic illness, compared with less than 5% of those who become infected as adults. Therefore, it is crucial that newborns receive the first dose of vaccine against HBV within the first 24 hours after birth, to reduce their risk of developing liver cancer in later life.
Mothers can also reduce their risk of developing breast cancer, which is the most common cancer type worldwide. Women who breastfeed their babies for prolonged periods have a lower risk of developing breast cancer in later life than comparable women who do not breastfeed, and the longer a woman breastfeeds, the more she is protected against breast cancer.
Women and families everywhere need high-quality care that supports them physically and emotionally before, during, and after birth. Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that affect maternal and newborn health. The health of mothers and babies is the foundation of healthy families and communities, helping to ensure hopeful futures for all.
Visit the WHO webpage for the “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures” campaign
Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding on the European Code Against Cancer website
Learn more about hepatitis and other risk factors for liver cancer
