A GP has urged women who take a common pill to make sure they aware of the risks. A recent study has renewed discussion about the link between cancer and the contraceptive pill as data shows a 598% increase in Google searches. GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, Dr Sabah Salman said: "The contraceptive pill ('the pill' for short) is a type of hormonal contraceptive which comes in tablet form and is taken orally to prevent pregnancy.
" "There are two types of contraceptive pills. The combined pill contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen and prevents pregnancy by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month. It also thickens the fluid around the cervix, preventing sperm entry and thins the womb lining, reducing the chance of an egg attaching.
" "As the name suggests, the progestogen-only pill or 'mini pill' contains just progestogen. This works similarly to the hormone progesterone to prevent the release of an egg from the ovaries each cycle." "Breast cancer is rare in young women, who are most likely to take the pill.
However, taking either the combined pill and the mini pill increases the risk of breast cancer by a small amount." "It's estimated that there will be an extra 8 cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women who take the pill between the ages of 16 and 20 and an extra 265 cases for every 100,000 women who take the pill between the ages of 35 and 39." "It's also important to note it only lasts while someone is taking the pill.
After you stop taking .