However, the additional information that the risk reduction lasts 35 years after discontinuation is novel and rather exciting.
What This Means For You
Deciding whether to take oral contraceptives is an important and personal decision.
How Does It Work?
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Combination oral contraceptives include estrogen and progestin, which are synthetic forms of female sex hormones.
The estrogen and progestin in oral contraceptives prevent ovulation and therefore protect against pregnancy.
Those risks were small and decreased after the use of oral contraceptives stopped.
Similarly, the current Swedish study found taking oral contraceptives led to a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.
2018 Feb 13;319(6):588-594. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.21926
