Although contraception was regarded as potentially dangerous for the health of women, recent study finds that using an oral contraceptive, commonly known as “’the pill”, offers long term protection against womb cancer. Moreover, the longer the use, the greater the reduction in risk, as scientists revealed.
Contraceptive pills are associated with many unpleasant side effects, as they play with hormones that sometimes go wild, after long-lasting treatments. However, researchers stated that an estimated 400.000 womb cancer cases have been prevented by use of the pill in wealthy countries, in the past 50 years, including 20.000 in the last ten years.
The cancer prevention benefits seem to last for decades after women stop taking pills, according to the new piece of evidence, which involved 27.276 women with endometrial cancer and 115.000 cancer free women, in two dozen countries.
It seems that every five years of oral contraceptive use lowers the risk of cancer by no less than a quarter. 10 years of taking the pill could cut the chances of developing endometrial cancer before the age of 75 from 2.3 to 1.3 cases per users. The figures are steady both for past cases, when pills were designed with high estrogen doses and for present situations, when doses of hormones and estrogen decreased. Results are also independent of reproductive history and ethnicity. Seemingly, it does not matter if women are overweight, smoke or consume alcohol. The pill does a great job in keeping them away from cancer in spite of all the mentioned particularities or habits.
In spite of the beneficial findings, researchers keep a very reserved attitude towards contraceptive pill treatments exclusively dedicated to cancer prevention. Their main aim should remain unchanged while the new highlights should only be regarded as a side benefit that comes with the territory. Contraceptive pills prevent womb cancer but most of all, keep women’s levels of hormones at a healthy and desired balance.
On the other hand, previous research has tied estrogen intake to cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks or strokes, all related to blood clots resulted from high estrogen intake. Other pieces of research have linked the use of contraceptive pills to a slight increase in breast cancer risk.
Although levels of estrogen and other hormones are lower in the birth control pills we can find on the markets nowadays, the cancer fighting powers of “the pill” are extremely strong.
Birth control pills are a great way of keeping a healthy sex life and keep track of all the body processes that happen in a woman’s life. Functions are regulated, flows are controlled and hormones are tamed. On top of that, we have the reduced risk of endometrial cancer, as a side benefit. But apart from all that’s good, the divine law of compensation offers some drawbacks as well. So, before you decide to take “the pill” for a long period of time, assess al the risks and benefits in order to have the clearest view over the matter.
Image Source: theguardian.com
