Birth Control Pills May Up Breast Cancer Risk

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November 1st, 2006

"Breast Cancer Risk from Birth Control Pills"

Woman who use birth control pills may be slightly more prone to developing breast cancer earlier on in life, with the highest risk for those who take oral contraceptives prior to having their first child, the results of a new analysis indicates.

Researchers evaluated the results of 34 past studies that examined the impact of birth control use on breast cancer developed before menopause.

Out of the 23 studies that looked at women who used oral contraceptives, 21 of them showed that women taking the pills before bearing their first child had a heightened risk of developing early breast cancer.

Measuring the Risk

Based on the findings of the 34 studies, researchers concluded that women using oral birth control pills before their first full-term pregnancy were 44 percent more likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer compared to those who never took oral contraceptives.

The risk increased to 52 percent in women who used the pill for more than four years prior to having their first child.

“I think women should know about this risk, and they are not being told,” said researcher Chris Kahlenborn, MD. “Anyone who is prescribing oral contraceptives has a duty to tell women that 21 out of 23 studies showed an increased risk.”

Kahlenborn added that he chose to do the analysis because he thinks too few women are really aware of the dangerous risks and side effects linked to oral contraceptive use.

“As I studied the medical literature, I noticed that a trend appeared,” he said. “Namely, oral contraceptive use prior to first full-term pregnancy seemed to consistently increase the risk of premenopausal breast cancer. Although the trend was apparent, premenopausal women have continued to hear that oral contraceptives are safe.”

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