Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 12 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST
email to a friend 
printer friendly 
opinions 
Professor Roger Short, from the University of Melbourne, and Dr Kara Britt, from Monash University, argue in a comment piece in The Lancet, that since the contraceptive pill reduces overall mortality and mortality specifically linked to ovarian and uterine cancer, nuns should be given the pill for health, rather than contraceptive, reasons.
Nulliparous women - or women who do not have children - have more ovulatory menstrual cycles than women who have children, due to the absence of pregnancy and lactation. This increased number of cycles increases cancer risk. Other factors increasing the overall number of cycles, regardless of having children or not, also increase cancer risk, such as going through puberty earlier or menopause later. Women who have children further decrease their risk of these cancers if they have their first child at a young age, bear more children, and breastfeed.
The authors say studies have shown that overall mortality in women using the contraceptive pill is 12% lower than in those who have never used it. The risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancers falls by 50-60% in pill users compared with women who have never used it, and protection persists for 20 years, showing a clear long-term benefit.
"Of course, as with any medication, the pill is not risk-free. For example, the combined oestrogen/progestogen pill can increase the risk of blood clots, and as such the woman's medical history should always be considered," they argue.
However they acknowledge that the Catholic church condemns all forms of contraception, as outlined by Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in 1968.
"Humanae Vitae never mentions nuns, so they should be free to use the contraceptive pill to protect against the hazards of nulliparity since the document states that 'the Church in no way regards as unlawful therapeutic means considered necessary to cure organic diseases, even though they also have a contraceptive effect'.
"If the Catholic church could make the contraceptive pill freely available to all its nuns, it would reduce the risk of those accursed pests, cancer of the ovary and uterus, and give nuns' plight the recognition it deserves."
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.Visit our preventive medicine section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
MLA
21 Dec. 2011.
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment