Contents:
- Medical Video: Mayo Clinic Minute: Oral Contraceptives and Ovarian Cancer
- How the combination birth control pills work
- Birth control pills can prevent ovarian cancer, really?
- How can combination pills reduce the chance of ovarian cancer?
Medical Video: Mayo Clinic Minute: Oral Contraceptives and Ovarian Cancer
Until now, birth control pills are still the mainstay of women to prevent pregnancy. There are two birth control pills available, namely mini birth control pills and combination birth control pills. Well, it was recently discovered that combined birth control pills can reduce the chance of ovarian cancer. How can?
How the combination birth control pills work
Combination birth control pills contain two hormones that are actually produced naturally in a woman's body, namely estrogen and progestin. Both of these hormones regulate the menstrual cycle and the chance of pregnancy.
Combined birth control pills are proven to prevent pregnancy up to 99 percent, if indeed used in the right way.
So, this pill works in three ways, the first is to prevent the ovaries from being released into the reproductive tract. Then the second, this pill can stimulate the production of mucus in the cervix so that sperm cannot reach the egg.
While the latter, birth control pills also have the ability to change the lining of the uterine wall, so that the egg cells that have been fertilized by sperm, can not grow in the uterus and eventually no fetus will develop.
Birth control pills can prevent ovarian cancer, really?
A new study published in the BMJ Journal reports that using the latest type of birth control pills, which are lower in estrogen and higher progestins, can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
This study involved as many as 1.9 million women in Denmark aged between 15-49 years. At the end of the study, researchers found that women who had the highest chance of ovarian cancer were women who had never taken birth control pills at all.
Meanwhile, women who have used combined birth control pills, the risk of ovarian cancer decreases by 21 percent. Even so, this fact still has to be investigated further, because there are still many risk factors that can cause ovarian cancer.
How can combination pills reduce the chance of ovarian cancer?
Experts believe this can occur because of the influence of hormones in combination birth control pills. One risk factor for ovarian cancer is the overactivity of the ovaries to produce eggs.
Well, contraception actually plays a role to suppress the number of eggs and make it less active. Therefore, the researchers concluded that the role of this combined birth control pill can reduce the chances of ovarian cancer.
The longer the use of birth control pills, the eggs produced will not increase rapidly. Therefore, from the results of the study it is also known that the longer it is used, the more it will protect women from the risk of this cancer.
Actually, experts also mention that anything that can suppress and inhibit ovulation can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, for example breastfeeding and pregnancy.
So, do not worry if you are not using birth control pills. If there are doubts, you can consult a doctor.
