 Some cancers depend on naturally occurring sex hormones for their development and growth. Researchers are interested in learning whether the hormones in oral contraceptives affect cancer risk in women (see Question 1).  Some studies have shown an increased risk of breast cancer in women taking oral contraceptives, while other studies have shown no change in risk (see Question 2).  Oral cont...

Fragile X premutations are known to be a risk factor for diminished ovarian function at a relatively young age. We studied endocrine profiles of female fragile X family members (n = 79) at risk of premature ovarian failure (POF). Of these 79 women aged <40 years, 45 had menstrual cycles, and 34 were using oral contraceptives. Of the women with menstrual cycles, the premutation carriers had high...

1. There are conflicting reports regarding the effect of oral contraceptives on serum and erythrocyte folate concentrations and on folate absorption. A detailed study of this problem was therefore undertaken. 2. It was first ascertained that there was no significant variation in serum folate concentrations at different stages in the normal menstrual cycle. 3. No significant difference was found...

The incidence of ovarian neoplasms and functional ovarian cysts diagnosed at laparotomy or laparoscopy among the 17,000 women taking part in the Oxford Family Planning Association contraceptive study was investigated. Epithelial cancer of the ovary was only 25% as common among those who had ever taken oral contraceptives as those who had never done so (95% confidence interval 8% to 67%). There ...

BACKGROUND Oral contraceptives are known to influence the risk of cancers of the female reproductive system. Evidence regarding the relationship between injectable contraceptives and these cancers is limited, especially in black South Africans, among whom injectable contraceptives are used more commonly than oral contraceptives. METHODS AND FINDINGS We analysed data from a South African hospi...

Single-point mutations in the gene coding for prothrombin (factor II:A20210) or factor V (factor V:A1691) are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism. The use of oral contraceptives is also a strong and independent risk factor for the disease, and the interaction between factor V:A1691 and oral contraceptives greatly increases the risk. No information is available about the ...

Between January 1970 and December 1972 22 women aged between 31 and 45 years were admitted to the coronary care unit with acute myocardial infarction and six of these (27%) had been taking oral contraceptives. There were nine women aged 40 or less and five of them (55%) had been on oral contraceptives while three of the other four had been sterilized by tubal interruption.Both these figures of ...

PURPOSE To estimate the number of venous thromboembolic events and related-premature mortality (including immediate in-hospital lethality) attributable to the use of combined oral contraceptives in women aged 15 to 49 years-old between 2000 and 2011 in France. METHODS French data on sales of combined oral contraceptives and on contraception behaviours from two national surveys conducted in 20...

INTRODUCTION The improved nutrition and socioeconomic status of the population in industrialized countries has resulted in a decrease in the mean age at menarche. This trend raises the question of whether cigarette smoking and the use of oral contraceptives, health behaviors often adopted during adolescence, may also be starting at a younger age. Cigarette smoking and use of oral contraceptives...