If you needed a reason to take modern contraceptive pills, here’s one - it reduces the risk of ovarian cancer in those who take them, compared to those women who chose another form of contraception.
Contraceptive pills that combine synthetic form of estrogen and progesterone have previously also shown such results.
The latest study was published in the respected British Medical Journal.
Researchers used database of more than 1.8 million women aged between 15 and 49 from 1995 and 2014 who took hormonal contraceptives and compared it to their cancer records.
Women who had used hormonal contraceptives at some stage had a 34% lower risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who had not. There was a 42% reduction in risk for current or recent users, and a 23% drop for those who had not used it for a year, as quoted in The Guardian.
In their disclosure, the authors have revealed that the study was funded pharma company Novo Nordisk.
While contraceptive pills do come with side effects (including, according to some studies, and increased risk of depression), doctors continue to believe it is an important tool and empowers women when it comes to contraception.
Ovarian cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer among women in India.
(WIth inputs from The Guardian)
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