Kristie McNealy, MD

Ovarian cancer is a frightening disease. Difficult to detect on typical gynecologic exams, and often asymptomatic until the advanced stages, ovarian cancer is frequently detected too late. It has long been known that oral contraceptive (”the pill”) use reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. What we didn’t know is what happened after women stopped taking birth control pills.

A new study published in the January 26 issue of The Lancet shows that when women use the pill for 5 years, their risk of developing ovarian cancer is reduced for the next 30 years. The longer women used the pill, the greater their risk reduction was, and although the risk reduction was highest in the years immediately after the pill was used, a significant risk reduction was still seen up to thirty years later. For women who had used the pill for 5 years, their risk was reduced by 15% 20-29 years after they stopped taking oral contraceptives.

It’s important to note that the women being studied took different oral contraceptive formulations than those on the market today. In the early decades of it’s use, the pill contained much higher amounts of estrogen than it does today. Women also need to keep in mind that oral contraceptive use carries the risk of blood clots and high blood pressure, so the longterm benefits must be weighed against possible side effects.

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