Originally published February 2 2009
Fertility Drugs May Increase Womb Cancer Risk
by Reuben Chow
(NaturalNews) In a bid to boost their chances of conceiving, many women turn to fertility drugs to increase ovulation. What many of them may not know is that doing so could actually be raising their risk of getting cancer of the womb in the future; a recent study in Israel has revealed.
Details and Findings of Study
The said study was conducted at the Hadassah-Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where the research team analyzed the data of some 15,000 women who had given birth about three decades ago. All in all, 567 women had used pharmaceutical drugs to boost ovulation, and 5 of those ladies had developed cancer of the womb. This proportion was about three times that of women in the general population who got the disease.
Further, the likelihood of getting womb cancer was even higher for the 362 women who took a certain fertility drug called clomiphene, which manipulates the function of oestrogen to cause the female body to make more eggs. This drug is said to be very widely used for couples who cannot conceive even though there is no detectable medical issue.
On top of cancer of the womb, the study, which was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, also found that the use of fertility drugs was associated with heightened risks for breast cancer, malignant skin cancer, as well as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. While the effects were relatively small, they cannot be ignored.
The study, which was led by Dr Ronit Calderon-Margalit, definitely has its limitations. For one thing, the number of women studied was relatively small, and the number who actually got womb cancer was also rather insignificant. Further, according to Jodie Moffat from Cancer Research UK, the study "did not include a detailed history of fertility drug use".
One significant point to note regarding these findings is that tamoxifen, a breast cancer drug which works in a similar fashion to clomiphene, also raises the risk of womb cancer. While a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company which markets the latter drug was expectedly non-committal, consumers need to realize that any method of tampering with the body's hormonal and reproductive systems via chemical means is very likely to bring about undesirable and possibly unexpected side effects.
Safer Ways of Boosting Fertility
Broadly speaking, infertility is the body's way of shutting off its own reproductive processes because it is not in an optimal enough state to produce offspring. Rather than forcefully attempting to override this protective mechanism, we would be better off trying to build a cleaner, stronger and better body. And nutrition is, of course, a key foundation of such an approach.
Besides ensuring a balanced intake of key vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, women may also want to consider avoiding or cutting down on alcohol, coffee and caffeinated drinks, as these can adversely affect fertility. Cigarette smoke has also been shown to increase one's difficulty of conceiving.
If you would like to explore safer and more holistic alternative approaches to improving fertility, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture are some useful avenues to look into. A thorough detoxification program will also go a long way toward boosting fertility.
Source
Fertility drugs can enhance the risk of womb cancer: Study (http://www.themedguru.com/articles/fertility...)
About the author
Reuben Chow has a keen interest in natural health and healing as well as personal growth. His website, All 4 Natural Health, offers a basic guide on natural health information. It details simple, effective and natural ways, such as the use of nutrition, various herbs, herb remedies, supplements and other natural remedies, to deal with various health conditions as well as to attain good health. His other websites also cover topics such as depression help, omega 3 fatty acids, as well as cancer research and information.
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