Millions of women who take The Minipill Can an increased risk of developing a brain tumor, new research suggests.
Experts discovered that women who have the Only progestogeneous pill, called ‘the mini-pill’ Continuous more than five years had a better chance of developing an meningioma.
Meniomas are good for a third of all brain tumors who have been diagnosed in the UK every year.
Although they are usually not cancer -like, they can still cause problems that they get bigger in the brain.
In the new study, French researchers analyzed data from more than 8,000 women, with an average age of 60, who undergo surgery for this form of tumor.
They found women who had taken the mini pill more often – called the desogestrel for at least five years.
However, independent experts have said that women should not panic about medication because the increased risk is relatively small.
Desogestrel, unlike the more famous pill, contains only one sex hormone progestogenic.
In the first place, it is taken by women with underlying health problems that make taking other contraceptives dangerous, or who suffer in adverse side effects.
Researchers discovered that taking continuously for more than five years taking an opinion of an meningioma, taking what is known as the ‘mini -pill’.
The NHS says that natural family planning can be effective up to 99 percent when it is performed correctly and about 75 percent if it is not used according to the instructions. For comparison: the pill, implant, IUS and IUD are 99 percent effective with perfect use, while condoms are 98 percent
While the increased risk of an meningioma was observed, the authors – who published their findings in the British Medical Journal “It was relatively small.
They sketched that only one of the 67,000 women who take Desogestrel will develop an meningioma that requires surgery.
The scientists also discovered that there was no increased risk when the mini pill was used for less than five years.
They also discovered that the increased risk disappeared a year after the mini pill came.
Meniomas are a tumor of the membrane that surrounds the brain, with more than 90 percent of this is not cancer.
Although it is not the risk of spreading elsewhere in the body as cancer -like growth, they can still cause problems with patients.
Every year, the part of the meningiovative patients of meningioma will need surgery to remove the tumor because this increased internal pressure on the brain causes.
Common symptoms of an meningioma include a persistent headache and constant nausea that is often accompanied by sleepiness.
Dr. Mangesh Thorat, an expert in the health of the population at Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the study, said that women about the medication should not be alerted.
“The extent of the increase in the risk is small and the use in the short term is not associated with an increased risk and that the excess risk ceases to exist as soon as the use is stopped for more than a year,” he said.
He advised women who may be worried about their risk to contact their doctor.
‘Talk to your healthcare provider about the medicine you use. If it is associated with an increased risk of meningioma, this can be changed to a safer alternative, “he said.
According to the NHS data, the proportion of women who take oral contraceptives has fallen by more than two-thirds, from 420,600 in 2012/13 to 126,400 in 2022/23. About 555,400 women turned to the sexual and reproductive health services of health care in 2022/23 same to four percent of 13 to 54-year-olds
Experts say that a limitation of the study is that the researchers have only looked at one type of progestogenic pill – desogestrel and no other medicines that also include the hormone.
Dr. Thorat said: “The study cannot provide information about the formulations that are not often used in France but are used in other countries.”
He has called on that further studies are being carried out in different countries.
Figures are currently suggesting that about 6 percent of women aged 16 to 49 uses the mini pill in the UK – Roughly 3.1 million patients.
Taken every day, it works by thickening cervical mucus and diluting the uterus lining, so that the sperm is stopped reaching an egg and a fertilized egg that confirms to the womb.
In some cases, the mini pill can also stop ovulation.
It is 99.7 percent effective with perfect use, but if it is used incorrectly – such as missing a pill or experiencing nausea and diarrhea while it is on it – one in ten women (9 percent) can become pregnant.
Well -known side effects of the mini pill – proven more than 99 percent effectively when stopping pregnancy – including nausea, sensitivity of breasts, mood swings and headache.
Others claim that they stack on kilos while taking the medicine because of increased liquid retention and appetite.
However, the NHS says that there is no evidence that it leads to weight gain.
The latest study only came a month after British scientists discovered that women with asthma taking the mini pill were a third more likely to undergo an attack.
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