Sex & fertility
Does the Pill cause breast cancer?
Q: With all the news about the HRT–cancer link, I am worried about
whether the Pill can cause breast cancer. I have read that some women like Suzanne
Somers blame their breast cancer on being on birth control pills for so many years.
A. So far, the data are fairly reassuring that birth control pills and the
other methods of hormonal contraception that are currently on the market do not
increase the risk of breast cancer
when used by women of reproductive age.
But this is a question that certainly bears watching, as certain subgroups of women
may fall in a different risk category. Some women stay on BCP’s for 15–20
years or more, and to date there just have not been any good studies evaluating
such long-term use of birth control pills. More importantly, it is not recommended
for women to use the Pill after menopause.
That said, the Pill has actually been shown to reduce the risk of uterine cancer
and ovarian cancer. Hormones in the Pill are synthetic, but the formulas used in
birth control pills do not appear to be as destructive to a woman’s reproductive
system as the products commonly used in hormone replacement therapy, such as Provera
and Premarin.
Nonetheless, we encourage women in perimenopause to consider non-hormonal birth
control options for many reasons. For more information, please read our article
on BCP’s in perimenopause.
Return to:
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements,
our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional
phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home
version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at
1-800-798-7902. We're here to listen and help.
Last Modified Date: 04/19/2011
Principal Author: Marcy Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician