Claim: Birth Control Causes Cancer

Question

If you use birth control, you might be wondering whether it affects your chances of getting cancer, IUDs, birth control pills, birth control shots, and others raise or lower your risk.

Comments

Certain forms of birth control can be linked to a lower risk of some cancers. Research done in the article says that birth control pills can reduce ovarian cancer risk by up to 50%. This research was done by the National Cancer Institute, an official government website, which I checked and had the same findings. Similarly, hormonal IUDs may help prevent or even treat early-stage cancers, which I also found to be true at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's official website

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I like the source you used for this factcheck, but overall I think the title can be very misleading, especially because you didn't add prior information from the article. I think next time if you added more information it would've strengthened this fact check, as well as finding different articles to further support this fact check.

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Although this has been proven false, you don't seem to be exactly claiming what the original fact check does and neither does the article which makes this a little misleading. Along with that WebMD is always the best source to use in these and can often be an unreliable source on some topics. I would've found a better source and perhaps changed your original claim a little.

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I agree that cancer can be caused by a variety of factors, so crediting it to a single product like birth control isn't entirely accurate. I thought your explanation did a good job of showing the risks of products like birth control while also showing some sources for more accurate lists for the risks associated with the medication.

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This article is very helpful in answering the claim of if birth control affects the chances of getting cancer by explaining the different side effects in some common birth control methods. The article is also medically reviewed by a qualified doctor which can help better support the claim. I do think it is a little misleading because it only talks about some forms of birth control and shares concise information on only some of them. I do agree with the claim that birth control can cause cancer because I have seen outside sources that also support this claim, but I don’t think this article is the best example to support this claim.

Answer 1

After researching this topic I can say that the subject line doesn't give the whole truth since there are a lot of side effects to using birth control but the only way you would have the risk of getting cancer is if you take birth control for over 5 years.

This is something that should be stated in this claim. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/birth-control-cancer-which-methods-raise-lower-risk.html shares information on how the side effects can lead to different types of cancer throughout post-5 years of being on this medication.

Answer 2

This claim is misleading. The claim comes from the beginning of the article linked, so it does not give the full information. The WebMD article this roots from states, "Your risk also rises if you use birth control pills after age 40. One reason: Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones that play a role in the development of certain types of cancer." The claim itself does not represent this information or other information from the article causing it to be misleading. 

Along with this, the National Cancer Institute states, "studies have provided consistent evidence that the risks of breast and cervical cancers are increased in women who use oral contraceptives, whereas the risks of endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers are reduced." So while there is some evidence to support the claim, they do not speak of it lowering and raising risk. 

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

Answer 3

The claim that this article is making is that the use of birth control leads to cancer. This claim is exaggerated and misleading. While birth control is known to have plenty of side effects it isn’t always as intense as cancer. The symptoms and results of birth control vary from woman to woman, and from different brands and types. The opening sentence of the article is,” Oral contraceptives (also known as birth control pills) may slightly increase your risk of getting breast and cervical cancers.” The word slightly is very key here. The article also states that oral contraceptives decrease risks of other cancers,”Research shows that using birth control pills at any point in your life is linked to a 30% drop in your risk of endometrial cancer. It also lowers your risk of colon cancer by 15% to 20%, and your risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 50%.” Based on the title alone this article is very misleading, and after reading it thoroughly I still stand by that.

https://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-cancer-risk 

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet 

Answer 4

This claim that birth control causes cancer is an oversimplification and depends on the persons health. Hormonal concreecptives can be linked to a slight increase and decrease in various cancers and risks but we should consult healthcare providers before saying it will give cancer to you because thats not the case .It depends on the persons health and the latest research on topics like this.

sources "New Study Links Hormonal IUDs to Higher Risk of Breast Cancer." Health, 2025.

Answer 5

This claim is exaggerated and misleading. The article provided does not show any proof of the data, it oversimplifies the complex relationship between hormonal contraceptives and cancer risk. While some studies such as the ones listed below have shown a slight increase in the risk of certain cancers, such as breast and cervical, other studies have demonstrated a reduced risk of other cancers, such as ovarian and endometrial. This is why it is very important to go to a doctor and get a prescribed form of contraception.

Oral Contraceptives (Birth Control Pills) and Cancer Risk - NCI

Birth Control & Cancer: Which Methods Raise, Lower Risk | American Cancer Society