A large-scale study of more than 2 million women “confirmed that an increased risk of breast cancer was associated with the use of hormonal contraceptives.”
However, researchers still insist that the benefits of the pill may outweigh the risks associated with it.
Researchers found that women who used birth control that contains only one hormone, a form of progesterone called desogestrel, had a 21% increased risk of developing breast cancer.
While those who used combination pills had a 12% higher risk, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology which states: “The finding that desogestrel may increase the risk of breast cancer more than other progestins is a novel finding that, to our knowledge, has not been previously reported.”
Considering that the combination pills carried a lower risk of breast cancer, researchers wrote: “These results also suggest that estrogen may attenuate the harmful effect of progestin.”
Cleveland Clinic explains that the minipill, or a progestin-only pill, works by thickening the cervical mucus (making it harder for sperm to travel into the uterus), stopping ovulation and thinning the uterine lining, thus preventing a fertilized egg from implanting.
The minipill comes in a pack of 28 “active” pills; the combination pills contain three weeks of active pills and one week of inactive or placebo pills.
The researchers noted that while further research is needed, the “statistically significant” risks “should be considered in the broader context of the established benefits” of taking hormonal contraceptives.
“These benefits include the prevention of unintended pregnancies, which are associated with increased maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as their protective effects against ovarian and endometrial cancer. Collectively, these considerations highlight the importance of personalized contraceptive counseling that takes into account individual risk profiles and preferences,” the study said.
