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Contraceptive pills increase risk of prostate cancer among men
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists from the University of Toronto (Canada) have discovered a link between the use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) by women and an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer among men.
Researchers are testing the hypothesis that byproducts of birth control pills are released into the environment, such as water supplies, and leading to increased low-level exposure of estrogen in men.
Several studies have already suggested that exposure to estrogen may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Margel and Fleshner went further: What if the widespread use of oral contraceptives over the past 40 years could have led to increased estrogen in the environment, significantly increasing the risk of prostate cancer?
In their ecological study, they analyzed global data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 2007 and the United Nations Contraceptive Use Report 2007 to correlate prostate cancer incidence statistics with contraceptive use rates.
They analysed data across continents and countries and compared the results on the prevalence of oral contraceptive use with other forms of contraception, such as intrauterine devices, condoms or vaginal barriers.
The results showed that:
- Oral contraceptive use is significantly associated with prostate cancer incidence and mortality in selected countries.
- Oral contraceptive use has also been linked to an increase in prostate cancer cases in Europe.
- There was no association between the use of other forms of contraception and prostate cancer incidence or death.
- Further analysis showed that the use of oral contraceptives does not depend on the level of development of the country.
While the authors note that the study does not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, such findings suggest the need for further research into the problem of oral contraceptive use and the rising incidence of prostate cancer among men.
Among the reasons for this phenomenon, scientists find an explanation in the fact that modern oral contraceptives often contain high doses of ethinyloestradiol (an artificial biologically active estrogen), which is excreted unchanged in the urine, which can lead to its entry into drinking water or the food chain. Although the amount of estrogen excreted by one woman is minimal, but when millions of women do this over a long period of time, this can lead to a level of environmental pollution sufficient to increase the risk of prostate cancer.
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