It’s no secret that cancer rates have been on the rise for quite some time now. That’s especially the case with female-centered cancers, like breast and cervical cancers. A cancer diagnosis can definitely change your family plans, and some forms of cancer treatment can carry serious considerations for your fertility. Whether you’re reeling from a cancer diagnosis or hoping to lower your cancer risks, we hope that the information below can provide education on issues where cancer, fertility, and family planning concerns overlap.
Birth control and cancer risks
You may have heard that hormonal birth control (HBC) slightly increases your risk of breast cancer (it increases whatever your personal risk is by about 20%) but decreases your risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial or uterine cancer. How are cancer and hormonal birth control connected? And do decreased risks of certain cancers outweigh the increased risks of breast cancer and cervical cancer for HBC users?
Proper informed consent between doctor and patient is essential to patients feeling prepared for whatever risks may come from the drugs they decide to take. Unfortunately, too often women who suffer birth control side effects, including cancer, say they didn’t hear these risks mentioned by their doctor.
References
Click a subtopic below to view scientific references for each of the following cancers and their connections to birth control use.
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