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Oral contraceptives and HPV

Dejah1987
0 Recommendations

So, we've all heard that taking oral contraceptives increases our risk for developing cervical cancer. But what I can't seem to find is why?

This may be a stupid question but does the NuvaRing count as an "oral contraceptive"? I've been on birth control since I was 18. Four years later(Now), I required a LEEP procedure for CIN III. Due to the statistics, by using the NuvaRing, am I placing myself at an increased risk for developing cervical cancer? If so, the NuvaRing is OTD..(out the door!!)

Until I get some answers, I'm done with the NuvaRing. =) Thanks to all who reply!

Explore topics in this discussion:

Cancer Surgery HPV Seasonale Pregnancy Cervical cancer Ovarian cancer

4 replies

ErinB248

I asked my doctor this same question because I wanted to know if I should go off the pill. I figured it had something to do with hormones affecting cell growth, but she said that isn't the case. The reason people on the pill are at increased risk is because they are less likely to use condoms, and will expose themselves to HPV more frequently. In fact, people on the pill are at increased risk for all STDs.

Dejah1987

Oh...so it has nothing to do with the medication itself? Well so much for stopping the bc...but really, if I'm not trying to prevent pregnancy, what's the point for being on bc anyway?

I bet it does more harm than good!

flowershoplady

it does, indeed, have to do with the medication itself...please see this website as just one example of these facts....but, nothing is simple....because did you know that taking oral contraceptives decreases your chance of developing other cancers such as uterine and ovarian cancer? and, of course, decreases (eliminates) risk of getting pregnant which can have its own risks.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/oral-contraceptives

http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/news/20070911/decrease-in-cancer-ris k-for-pill-users

PJ2

It's interesting, but in the years after my cervical surgery and treatment, the doctor told me I needed to stay on birth control to regulate my cycle and my horomones.

Another interesting tidbit I was told by two different doctors is that having fewer periods reduced the possibility of reoccurence (I was given 2 years - but have so far lasted 10+). Now, this was 10 years ago, but for the first three years after surgery, I was told to take my birth control straight through and only stop every third month to have a period, thus 4 periods a year. This was before they released the Seasonale or Seasonique pill, but that is what I did and I beat the odds.

However, now I am no longer able to take the pill (even before getting pregnant) as it caused severe uterine bleeding and inflammation?

I kind of makes me made to think all these years later it may have done more harm than good.

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