THE use of hormonal birth control is linked to a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, according to Swedish research published today in JAMA Oncology, with risk varying by type of birth control.
The team used population health data to look at breast cancer cases among over two million premenopausal women from 2006-2019 and compare against type of birth control.
For every 7,752 women using hormonal birth control, the researchers noted that one additional case of breast cancer was recorded.
The oral contraceptive pill and other options containing desogestrel were linked to a higher risk than those containing levonorgestrel, while birth control injections and NuvaRing were not linked to an increased breast cancer risk.
However, the team noted that while the relative risks were statistically significant, the absolute risks were small.
"These findings suggest that individuals at risk of breast cancer may benefit from avoiding desogestrel-containing hormonal contraceptives, particularly in progestin-only formulations," the authors wrote - read the study HERE.
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