One in ten younger women who develop breast cancer first spot signs when they are pregnant or breastfeeding, according to research.
The number of women aged 45 and under diagnosed with breast cancer is thought to be on the rise partly because more women are delaying starting a family to focus on their career, it is believed.
An estimated 5,600 new cases in this age group are diagnosed each year. Studies have suggested that the longer women delay motherhood, the higher the chance they will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.