The more times you ovulate, the higher the risk of ovarian cancer?

The exact mechanism of ovarian cancer has not yet been fully understood. The medical community generally believes that the number of ovulations is positively correlated with the risk of ovarian cancer. In other words, the more times you ovulate, the higher the chance of ovarian cancer.

Why does the more times you ovulate, the higher the chance of ovarian cancer?

Every time ovulation occurs, the ovarian epithelium must break in order to release the egg. At this time, the cells on the surface of the ovary must grow rapidly to heal the broken wound, otherwise they are susceptible to carcinogens. In other words, abnormal growth of ovarian cells and uninterrupted ovulation increase the chances of carcinogens entering the cells. Therefore, the more times a woman ovulates in her lifetime, the higher the chance of ovarian cancer. In other words, some behaviors that can block continuous ovulation, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, and oral contraceptives, can effectively reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer.

Behaviors that reduce the risk of ovarian cancer:

1. Pregnancy

At this time, the ovaries will not ovulate for about 9 months. This is because the progesterone secreted by the fertilized egg after pregnancy is the main hormone, which will inhibit the secretion of estrogen, so there will be no ovulation activity.

2. Breastfeeding

After childbirth, the secretion of progesterone usually continues until the end of breastfeeding, so most women will not ovulate during the breastfeeding period after childbirth, which can also allow the ovaries to rest for a few more months.

3. Oral contraceptives

The main ingredients of oral contraceptives are estrogen and progesterone, and their main mechanism is to inhibit ovarian ovulation, so they can also block ovarian ovulation. Data show that for women who have used oral contraceptives for five years, the risk of ovarian cancer can be reduced by 29% within ten years of stopping the use of such drugs, and the risk can be reduced by 19% within ten to nineteen years of stopping use; and the risk can be reduced by 15% within twenty to twenty-nine years of stopping use.