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Contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who?:
The assertion that the contraceptive pill is as dangerous as tobacco or asbestos floods social networks. Meanwhile, In Switzerland, research on the subject jumped 150% in a month. Moreover, We have verified this classification of the WHO. However, we explain to you why reality is more nuanced than alarmist rumors.
The information is correct: in 2005. Therefore, the International Center for Research on Cancer (CIRC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified well the combined oral contraceptives (the most common pill) in Group 1 of carcinogenic contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who? substancess, the highest level.
The combined pill is that which contains both estrogens and progesterone. Meanwhile, Please note: this classification does not concern progestogen pills alone (sometimes called microdosae).
However, this classification is often misinterpreted. Consequently, The role of the Circ is to identify the carcinogenic “dangers” (which “can” cause cancer). Therefore, not to assess the “risk”, that is to say the probability that this happens to a given person. Meanwhile, As its preamble specifies (part A. Similarly, section 2), the IRC classifies substances according to the scientific level of evidence of their link with cancer, not their absolute dangerousness. Group 1 therefore means that there is solid scientific evidence of causality, not that the substance is the most dangerous.
Risks. benefits: a complex balance – Contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who?
The CIR ratio (Monograph 91) indicates that the combined pill is linked to a slight increase in the risk of certain cancers: breast, cervix and liver. For breast cancer, contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who? the risk increases during taking, but “returns to normal about 10 years after stopping the pill”. A recent study published in 2023 in “PLOS Medicine” confirms that “all hormonal contraceptions (…) increase the risk of developing breast cancer from 20 to 30%”.
However, this figure represents a relative risk. Absolute risk remains low, especially in young women. For example. absolute risk over 15 years is estimated at “only 8 cases per 100,000 users aged 16 to 20”, against “265 cases per 100,000 users aged 35 to 39”.
The pill can help regulate irregular menstrual cycles. reduce menstrual pain
What rumors on social networks are often omitted is that the same Circ report also stresses that the pill protects against other cancers. CIRC. in its “official classification”, notes “evidence of absence of carcinogenicity for cancers of the endometrium, ovary and colon-rectum, and contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who? even an inverse association”. It thus “significantly reduces the risk of cancer of the endometrium and the ovary”.
Jennifer Dotta-Celio, Uneisanty assistant pharmacist, specifies: “The pill can help regulate irregular menstrual cycles or reduce menstrual pain.”
A study by the EPFL. the CHUV (2021, “Embo Molecular Medicine”) has shown that some progestins stimulate the proliferation of breast cells, while others, “anti-endrogen”, do not do so, suggesting tracks to reduce this risk. This research is “mechanistic evidence” which helps the I Circ to understand the mechanisms of cancer (“Iarc Preass. Part B, Section 4”).
Other side effects. Swiss context
Beyond cancer, the pill can lead to other side effects, such as venous thromboembolia (TEV), the formation of blood clots. According to “Swissmedic of November 2024”, the risk varies depending on the type of progestogen. For non-users, it is around “2 cases for 10,000 women per year”. For the least risky pills. it is “5 to contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who? 7 cases”, and for others, it can reach “8 to 12 cases for 10,000 women per year”. It is however “crucial to note that (…) the risk of TEV linked to the pill is lower than that of a pregnancy and the postpartum period”.
Jennifer Dotta-Celio details the risks of TEV: “The risk of venous thromboembolia (TEV) varies according to the type of contraceptive. pill. Among the most used pills. those containing Drospirenone or those of third generation present a higher risk than those of second generation.” She adds that “any hormonal contraceptive has a higher or lower risk of thrombosis.”
In Switzerland, the pill is no longer the most used contraception method. According to the Swiss health survey of 2022, “only 16% of women of childbearing age still use the pill”. In 2017, they were 31 %. It is a significant drop, often linked to the fear of side effects. The contraceptive pill classified carcinogenic who? condom is now more used, with 36% of users.
In summary: Yes. the combined pill is classified carcinogenic by the IARC, but this classification indicates scientific evidence, not a level of dangerousness comparable to that of tobacco. It presents risks, but also benefits, including protection against other cancers. If you have any questions. concerns, the best reflex is always to talk about it with your doctor or gynecologist.
Hélène Joaquim
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