SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Birth Control Pills Still Linked to Breast Cancer, Study Finds
Women who rely on birth control pills or contraceptive devices that release hormones face a small but significant increase in the risk for breast cancer, according to a large study published on Wednesday.
The study [DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1700732] [DX], which followed 1.8 million Danish women for more than a decade, upends widely held assumptions about modern contraceptives for younger generations of women. Many women have believed that newer hormonal contraceptives are much safer than those taken by their mothers or grandmothers, which had higher doses of estrogen.
The new paper estimated that for every 100,000 women, hormone contraceptive use causes an additional 13 breast cancer cases a year. That is, for every 100,000 women using hormonal birth control, there are 68 cases of breast cancer annually, compared with 55 cases a year among nonusers.
While a link had been established between birth control pills and breast cancer years ago, this study is the first to examine the risks associated with current formulations of birth control pills and devices in a large population.
The study found few differences in risk between the formulations; women cannot protect themselves by turning to implants or intrauterine devices that release a hormone directly into the uterus.
The research also suggests that the hormone progestin — widely used in today's birth control methods — may be raising breast cancer risk.
Also at NPR.
Previously: Study Links Hormonal Birth Control to Depression
Review Finds That Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pills Would be Safe for Teens
(Score: 2) by Mykl on Monday December 11 2017, @02:26AM (9 children)
On one hand, it might accelerate progress on the male pill to help get women off theirs.
On the other hand, the thought that taking this new pill might increase cancer risk for men might make them leery of it.
One thing's for certain - abstinence will continue to be as (in)effective as ever.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Monday December 11 2017, @02:43AM (4 children)
Best contraceptive - aspirin. Just keep a pill between your knees and don't let it go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by julian on Monday December 11 2017, @04:03AM
Challenge accepted (from the male's point of view)!
(Score: 2) by Taibhsear on Monday December 11 2017, @04:05PM (2 children)
*bends woman over*
I don't think the person that originally thought of that quip was particularly imaginative or sexually experienced...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 11 2017, @08:56PM
Indeed, I have a sister-in-law who claims to have defeated the aspirin method as a fun challenge one night. She said it was kinda kinky, but not very difficult.
/me double-checks that "post anonymously" is checked before submitting... Coward indeed.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday December 11 2017, @09:18PM
Tons of Christian conservatives are exactly the same: they ask female rape victims "why didn't you just keep your legs together?" There's been plenty of incidences of Christian judges asking women this. Again, obviously not very knowledgeable about female anatomy.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday December 11 2017, @04:57PM (3 children)
We don't need a male pill. Men have far simpler reproductive systems, and there's already a form of contraceptive that's been developed, and is currently testing, where a material is injected into the seminal ducts to block them. So it's like a vasectomy, except even easier (just an injection), and better yet, it's easily reverse with another injection to dissolve the material. It promises to be far cheaper than vasectomies, and of course far more reliable than other methods like pills or condoms.
(Score: 2) by chromas on Monday December 11 2017, @10:19PM (2 children)
Don't want to block the semen, just the sperm. How can you give your girl perl necklaces without the (diet) baby batter?
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Tuesday December 12 2017, @05:29AM (1 child)
Whoops, you're right. This new method blocks the sperm ducts above the testes, inside the scrotum. The semen is produced by the prostate gland inside the abdomen.
(Score: 2) by chromas on Tuesday December 12 2017, @11:56AM
Sweet! Now my hand won't get mad when I don't pull out.