A newer type of birth control pill that has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years carries the same risk of breast cancer as a more traditional version, a study suggests.
In the past, most women preferred a “combination” birth control pill that contained two hormones, estrogen and progestin.
In recent decades, however, more and more people have opted for a progestagen-only pill – although the recipes for the two different types have now been harmonised.
Now, a new study shows that the progestagen-only pill carries the same increased risk of breast cancer as its older equivalent.
In the past, most women preferred a “combination” birth control pill that contained two hormones, estrogen and progestin. But now the prescription for the progestogen-only pill is similar
Previous research has shown that women who use combined birth control pills or who have recently stopped using them have about a 20 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who do not take them.
A team from the University of Oxford analyzed data from more than 9,000 women who developed invasive breast cancer between the ages of 20 and 49 and 18,000 similar women who did not develop the disease.
The analysis found that those who took the newer progestogen-only pill, or who had recently stopped taking it, also had a 20 to 30 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
However, this effect appeared to diminish once the women stopped using it, with no additional risk 10 years after stopping contraception.
Their findings also applied to both types of hormonal birth control in any form – be it an injection or an implant.
The team said their research, published in the journal Plos Medicine, helps fill a knowledge gap about the risks associated with taking hormonal contraceptives.
But they said these risks must be weighed against the known benefits of taking them.
Gillian Reeves, professor of statistical epidemiology and director of the department of cancer epidemiology at the University of Oxford, said: “I don’t really see any indication here that women necessarily need to change what they are doing.
“Yes, there is an increase here, and yes, no one wants to hear that something they are taking increases their risk of breast cancer by 25%.
“The main purpose of this research was actually to fill a gap in our knowledge.
“We’ve known for years that combined oral contraceptives that women have used for decades also have an effect on breast cancer risk, a small increase in risk that is transient.
“We weren’t quite sure what the equivalent effect of these progestogen-only contraceptives would be.
“What we have shown is that they are exactly the same in terms of breast cancer risk. They seem to have a very similar effect to the other contraceptives and the effect we have known for many years.”
Kirstin Pirie, statistical programmer at Oxford Population Health and one of the lead authors, said: “The results suggest that current or recent use of all types of progestogen-only contraceptives is associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk, similar to that associated with when combined oral contraceptives are used.
“Because a person’s underlying risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, the absolute excess risk of breast cancer associated with any type of oral contraceptive is lower in women who use it at a younger age.
“However, these additional risks must be seen in the context of the proven benefits of using contraception during the woman’s reproductive years.”
Commenting on the study, Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications at Breast Cancer Now, said: “This study suggests that the risk of developing breast cancer is slightly increased for women when they start using a newer progestogen or stop soon after. contraceptives.
“The risk is about the same as with the older combination pill with estrogen and progestin that we have known for some time. With both types of birth control, this extra risk of breast cancer decreases over time when you stop using it.
A team from the University of Oxford analyzed data from more than 9,000 women who developed invasive breast cancer between the ages of 20 and 49 and 18,000 similar women who did not develop the disease. The analysis found that those who took the newer progestogen-only pill or who had recently stopped taking it also had a 20 to 30 percent increased risk of breast cancer.
“The study did not look at which hormonal contraceptives the women had used in the past or how long they had used the progestogen-only contraceptive.
“It also did not matter if a family history of the disease contributed to her risk.” So more work is needed to help us fully understand the implications of this type of birth control.
Breast cancer is rare in young women. A slight increase in risk during the use of hormonal contraceptives means that fewer cases of the disease are diagnosed.”
Professor Stephen Duffy, from the Center for Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis at Queen Mary University of London, added that the results were “reassuring because the effect is small”.
NHS figures in 2008 showed that there were just under six million prescriptions for the combined hormonal contraceptive in England, compared with less than two million for the progestin-only pill.
By 2020, however, the gap had closed and prescriptions for both stood at around 3.2 million.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
