Cancer and Healthy

You may be wondering about ways to prevent ovarian cancer. There are several, some of which you can do yourself, and other which will require a doctor and surgery in some cases. Bear in mind, the ovarian cancer prevention tips listed here are no guarantee that the disease will not develop.

First, we'll cover what you yourself can do to prevent ovarian cancer from becoming a reality.

The first thing you may want to do is use birth control pills. In addition to helping stop unwanted pregnancy, it has been seen that they can reduce your risk of developing ovarian cancer by 40 to 50%. The risks are particularly decreased after 5 years of usage. In fact, the longer you use oral contraceptives, the less your risk.

Another option you have is to modify your diet and exercise routine. Researchers recommend that women eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet, as well as reduce meat and alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that going this route for at least 4 years can significantly reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

In addition, women are encouraged to exercise three times weekly to maintain a body fat percentage that is within the accepted range. Adults who are 18 years of age or older are considered at risk if the body mass index, or BMI, is greater than 25.

Although physicians do not advocate making decisions about child-bearing solely for the purpose of reducing ovarian cancer risk, some pregnancy-related statistics are worth noting.

Ovarian cancer risk is 30% to 60% lower among women who have been pregnant versus those who have not. In addition, ovarian cancer risk is lower if the first child is born before a woman reaches 30 years of age, and risk continues to decrease with each successive pregnancy.

Breast feeding (which begins when estrogen and progesterone levels drop after childbirth and ovulation is suppressed) also appears to offer protection against ovarian cancer.