Some studies claim that taking birth control pills for a long time increases the risk for breast cancer. Taking contraceptive pills is the best and simplest mechanism to prevent pregnancy. You may be wondering how these pills could increase your breast cancer risk. Birth control pills have estrogen and progesterone, two most prominent female hormones, which, according to the oncologists at the best cancer treatment hospital in Kolkata, help a particular type of breast cancer grow and spread. Therefore, it is natural for you to worry if these pills can do harm you in remote future.
Let us now talk about what scientific researches have to say about how these contraceptive pills can affect development of breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. You should be aware of how these pills work before becoming a faithful consumer of oral contraceptives.
Working Mechanism of Birth Control Pills
According to a report published by FP2020 in January, 2021, more than 139 million of Indian women use modern method of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy. Taking birth control pills or contraceptive pills is the most popular form of contraception among them. If a pill contains both estrogen and progesterone, it is called a “combine oral contraceptive”. The ‘mini’ birth control pills are called progestin and these contain only synthetic progesterone. The hormone in the contraceptive pills prevents your body from release or ovulation of an egg.
The same hormones in the pills also work to change the lining of the cervical mucus or uterus. Together, it prevents egg fertilization by sperms during intercourse. Contraceptive pills, if taken regularly and correctly, can prevent unwanted pregnancy 99% of the time.
Oral contraceptive pills were first introduced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1960s. Since then, these pills have undergone significant changes to address the health concerns that are believed to come with their regular usage. The modern-day contraceptive pills have a lower concentration of estrogen and progestin but are not less effective in preventing pregnancy. Still, the risk that these pills pose cannot be overruled.
How Can Birth Control Pills Affect My Breast Cancer Risk?
It is interesting to note that many studies have concluded that taking contraceptive pills can lower your risk for uterine and ovarian cancer. However, the researchers are yet to figure out if this disassociation i.e. no correlation between contraceptive pills and cancer, equally applies to breast cancer. Moreover, how much these pills can influence your breast cancer risk is still not clear.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in Indian women. The phenomenon is same across the world. Extensive research has been done to inspect the link between contraceptive pills usage and breast cancer but there is no overall consensus that can establish the association or refute it beyond doubt. Some studies show no risk or negligible risk whereas, other studies show significant risk.
Final Words
All medications have some risks and contraceptive pills are not an exception. Therefore, talk to the physicians at the best cancer hospital in Kolkata if taking these pills will be a safe choice for your family planning. You should consider other factors too, including your family history of cancer, age, overall health, lifestyle, family planning etc.