Let’s Talk: Does Taking Birth Control Increase the Risk of Cancer?

​The short answer is there's no link between cancer and birth control pills. 

Studies say birth control use does NOT lead to cancer

As one of the most popular prescribed form of birth control in the United States, the pill contains estrogen and progesterone that work together to prevent ovulation. Because of adding these extra hormones into the body, some women worry that taking birth control pills can increase their risk of having cancer at some point in their lives.

A heavily researched topic, there are no definitive studies that show any correlation at all. Not only is there no proven link between breast cancer and the pill, birth control pills can actually increase your protection against some types of cancer.

Protection against ovarian cancer

Birth control pills can dramatically decrease your chances of having ovarian cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the United States. The diagnosis rate has been gradually falling for the last 20 years.
 
The ovarian cancer risk is 40 percent lower in women who have used birth control pills and 80 percent lower in women who have been on the pill for 15 years or longer, giving it a really good cancer-protective effect.


 

Birth control pills: the second most common type of contraceptive in the US

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 65 percent of the 72.2 million American women surveyed in the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) use some form of birth control. The birth control pill is the second most common form of birth control for women between the ages of 15-49.
 
Would you like to learn more about birth control options? Schedule an appointment online with one of our Women’s Health specialists today.
Dr. Olshavsky received the 2007 Cincinnati Obstetrics and Gynecology Society Award and the 2011 Esprit de Corps Award, a peer-selected award granted to the obstetrics and gynecology resident who best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation and congeniality. Also in 2011, she received the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Judy Griffis Gynecologic Oncology Resident Award. She has also published numerous scientific publications and presentations in her field. 
Let’s Talk: Does Taking Birth Control Increase the Risk of Cancer? In this “Let’s Talk” webisode, OBGYN Leanne Olshavsky, MD, dispels the myth about a connection between birth control pills and cancer risk.

​The short answer is there's no link between cancer and birth control pills. 

Studies say birth control use does NOT lead to cancer

As one of the most popular prescribed form of birth control in the United States, the pill contains estrogen and progesterone that work together to prevent ovulation. Because of adding these extra hormones into the body, some women worry that taking birth control pills can increase their risk of having cancer at some point in their lives.

A heavily researched topic, there are no definitive studies that show any correlation at all. Not only is there no proven link between breast cancer and the pill, birth control pills can actually increase your protection against some types of cancer.

Protection against ovarian cancer

Birth control pills can dramatically decrease your chances of having ovarian cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the United States. The diagnosis rate has been gradually falling for the last 20 years.
 
The ovarian cancer risk is 40 percent lower in women who have used birth control pills and 80 percent lower in women who have been on the pill for 15 years or longer, giving it a really good cancer-protective effect.


 

Birth control pills: the second most common type of contraceptive in the US

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 65 percent of the 72.2 million American women surveyed in the 2015-2017 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) use some form of birth control. The birth control pill is the second most common form of birth control for women between the ages of 15-49.
 
Would you like to learn more about birth control options? Schedule an appointment online with one of our Women’s Health specialists today.
/Pages/Healthspirations/Let%E2%80%99s-Talk-Does-Taking-Birth-Control-Increase-the-Risk-of-Cancer.aspx
The Christ Hosptial