Latest news with #oralcontraceptives
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Common pill taken by millions already ‘slashes risk of killer cancer by 69%'
WOMEN who use oral contraceptives for a decade or more can reduce their risk of developing womb cancer by as much as 69 per cent, say scientists. Shorter use is still linked to a significant reduction in the likelihood of developing the disease, new research found. 1 Oral contraceptives (OC) offer several benefits beyond preventing pregnancy. They're known to regulate menstrual cycles, reduce menstrual pain and bleeding, and improve acne. Previous studies have linked OC with reduced risk of ovarian cancer. Now, new research published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, confirms a clear association between OC use and the risk of womb cancer. Researchers found the protective association between the use of OCs and the risk of womb cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, is stronger with duration of use. Women using OCs for less than five years had a 34 per cent lower risk, those using them for five or more years had a 61 per cent lower risk, and the strongest benefit – a 69 per cent reduction – was observed in women who used OCs for at least 10 years. When the analysis was restricted to users of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) - hormonal birth control that contains both estrogen and progestogen - the protective association was even more pronounced, with a 54 per cent reduction in the odds of womb cancer compared to non-users. 'The use of oral contraceptives, which regulate hormone levels, appears to reduce the proliferation of endometrial cells, potentially lowering mutation rates and long-term cancer risk,' said Dr András Harajka, a PhD student at Semmelweis University's Centre for Translational Medicine, and the first author of the study. Womb cancer is now the most common gynaecological malignancy in high-income countries, with more than 417,000 new cases reported globally in 2020 alone, the research warns. The World Health Organisation (WHO) projects a 49 per cent increase in EMC cases by 2050. These rising trends have been linked to factors such as ageing, obesity, and hormonal influences. Earlier studies have shown hormonal factors – particularly the roles of oestrogen and progesterone – play a central role in womb cancer risk. Co-author Dr Nándor Ács, also head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Semmelweis University, added: 'Our findings provide robust and up-to-date evidence that oral contraceptive use is significantly associated with lower risk of endometrial cancer, particularly with longer use. "This is an important consideration for patients and clinicians when discussing contraceptive options.' But the researchers caution while OCs used by more than 150 million worldwide offer significant protective benefits, they can also carry side effects including mood changes, nausea, and, in rare cases, an increased risk of blood clots or stroke. The NHS says you may have some side effects when you first start taking the combined contraceptive pill, including bleeding between periods (breakthrough bleeding) or changes to your periods. Taking the pill can also cause high blood pressure in a small number of people. The NHS advises: "If you still have side effects after three months and they're a problem for you, speak to a pharmacist or doctor. "It may help to change to a different pill, or to have a shorter pill-free break or no break between pills (a tailored regime)." It adds the risk of getting a blood clot is very small and affects up to one in 1,000 people.
Medscape
30-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
OCs for Acne: Study Analyzes Information on TikTok
SEATTLE — Discussions about acne and acne treatments are popular on social media, especially on TikTok. But as with much of the health information found on the internet and social media in particular, accuracy can vary considerably, depending on its source. A study presented in a poster session at the Society for Pediatric Dermatology (SPD) 2025 Annual Meeting looked at how social media may influence young women and their families, with regards to acne treatment with oral contraceptives (OCs). The researchers found that most TikTok content on this topic is not created by healthcare professionals (HCPs), although the videos created by HCPs and non-HCPs had similar levels of engagement among viewers. But what stood out in the non-HCP videos were frequent discussions about acne flare-ups when OCs were discontinued, or 'post-pill acne.' 'We were exploring how young adults and adolescents are using TikTok and other social media for health driven information,' said the study's first author Hong-An Nguyen, third-year medical student at the University of California, San Diego. 'We decided to look at oral contraceptives that are widely prescribed for acne and what was being said about side effects.' Nguyen told Medscape Medical News that they were particularly interested in seeing the difference in perspective between medical providers and non-providers. 'We didn't find much of a difference except for the topic of post-pill acne, and we further explored that due to its frequent mention across videos,' she said. 'There's limited clinical recognition of that being an issue when you look in the [medical] literature, but it was a big concern on social media.' In 2024, TikTok reported 170 million monthly active users in the US, with the majority being young women. Many teens receive health information — both actively and passively — on this platform. However, concerns have emerged that exaggerated claims about side effects may be discouraging the use of OCs and could influence decision-making in teens with acne. Nguyen and colleagues noted that even though OCs are a common treatment for acne, it is unclear how their use is portrayed on TikTok. To better understand the influence of social media on decision making, they analyzed TikTok videos referencing both acne and OCs. Popularity of Post-Pill Acne Discussions Using two newly created TikTok accounts, they identified 147 unique videos: 17 were created by self-identified HCPs (including six dermatologists and two OB-GYNs), three physician associates, four nurses, and two pharmacists, and 130 were created by non-HCPs. Videos were analyzed for user engagement (views, likes, and comments) and perceptions of OC use, categorized as positive (emphasized perceived benefits or success stories), negative (emphasized side effects or adverse experiences over potential benefits), or neutral (presented information or personal experiences without expressing a clearly favorable or unfavorable stance). Views per video ranged from 1109 to 7.6 million (mean 346,335), with an average of 13,191 'likes,' and comments ranging from 0 to 3958 (mean 171). Less than 10% of HCP videos mentioned 'post-pill acne' compared with nearly 60% of non-HCP videos — a significant difference ( P < .001). Overall, 60% of videos expressed negative perceptions of hormonal therapy for acne, while 16% were positive, and 24% had neutral content. Referring to their findings, Nguyen commented, 'as providers, we need to see what the perceptions are on social media and what people are concerned with before they come to our office.' Approached for an independent comment by Medscape Medical News , Luke Johnson, MD, associate professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, noted that 'it is worth knowing that some of our patients are looking to social media for healthcare and skincare advice.' In addition, he said, 'I am concerned about the amount of misinformation — intentional or not — that's out there. and I am concerned by the fact that most people don't seem to care much about the source of their information.' One benefit of social media is that it could potentially bring previously unknown issues associated with a treatment to the attention of healthcare providers, Johnson, who is also co-host of the dermatology podcast Dermasphere, pointed out. 'We know that many types of oral contraceptive pills can improve acne, so it makes sense that acne could appear when someone stops one of these medicines,' he added. The study was independently supported. Nguyen reported having no relevant financial relationships. Johnson reported having no disclosures.
Medscape
26-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Third-Generation Progestins Linked to Lowest Melasma Risk
A study found that fourth-generation progestins in oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) were associated with more than double the risk for melasma than with no exposure, while third-generation progestins showed the lowest risk among all synthetic progestin types. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data from 51,101 women with melasma and 51,101 matched controls without melasma using the TriNetX research network on March 25, 2025. The mean age of participants was 45.1 years. About 54% of participants were White, about 14% were Black, about 8% were Asian, and nearly 15% were Hispanic/Latino. Those with melasma had a higher prevalence of exposure to estrogen/progestin combinations (21.58% vs 10.03%; P < .001) and to progestins alone (15.04% vs 7.75%; P < .001) than those without melasma. < .001) and to progestins alone (15.04% vs 7.75%; < .001) than those without melasma. The researchers examined the risk for melasma within 10 years after a progestin prescription. TAKEAWAY: All four generations of synthetic progestins were associated with a higher melasma risk than no exposure. The risk was highest for fourth-generation (hazard ratio [HR], 2.262; 95% CI, 1.797-2.846) and lowest for third-generation progestins (HR, 1.417; 95% CI, 1.317-1.524). Exposure to fourth-generation progestins was associated with a higher risk for melasma than exposure to first-generation (HR, 1.366; 95% CI, 1.148-1.627), second-generation (HR, 1.191; 95% CI, 1.000-1.419), and third-generation progestins (HR, 1.785; 95% CI, 1.464-2.176). Exposure to third-generation progestins was associated with a lower risk for melasma than exposure to second-generation (HR, 0.841; 95% CI, 0.754-0.937) and fourth-generation progestins (HR, 0.604; 95% CI, 0.503-0.726). IN PRACTICE: Based on these findings, 'choosing oral contraceptive pills containing third-generation progestins may mitigate melasma risk associated with hormonal contraceptives,' the study authors wrote. 'Further studies of the role of progestins in melasma pathophysiology may improve our understanding of this disorder,' they added. SOURCE: The study, led by Amit Singal, BA, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, and Shari Lipner, MD, Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, was published online on May 21 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . LIMITATIONS: Information on dosing, route, duration of use, and adherence to hormone therapy was not available. The study lacked data on ultraviolet exposure, family history of melasma, and clinical reasons for hormone use. International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, coding limitations may have affected diagnostic accuracy. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. The authors had no competing interests.
