Taking oral contraceptives may be more dangerous than many women realize. According to research on mice, the synthetic hormones found in oral contraceptives were discovered to create deformities in the prostate glands, which have been linked to prostate cancer and bladder disease later on.

Why are these findings important?

As many as 3 percent of women taking oral contraceptives become pregnant without knowing it and continue exposing their baby to the drug many months into pregnancy. And since a woman taking oral contraceptives typically misses an average of three pills a month, her risk of pregnancy increases. With 60 million women taking oral contraceptives in Europe and America, that means as many as 2 million women could become pregnant and still be taking the pills.

Mice Testing

Researchers tested the effect of a typical oral contraceptive on the development of an embryo by giving pregnant mice the contraceptive ethinylestradiol; the dosage was scaled down to one-fifth of the normal human dose and was administered for five days.

A group of mice were also exposed to low levels of a similar estrogenic chemical known as bisphenol A, an environmental pollutant found in plastics and the lining of food cans.

The results ...

• Due to chemical exposure, there was a consequent increase in the number and size of prostate ducts and a narrowing of the bladder neck in male mouse fetuses.

• This effect, which could lead to difficulties with urination as well as prostate cancer, is a direct forecast of how these drugs affect the human reproductive system, according to researchers.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 10, 2005;102(19): 7014-7019 (Free Full-Text Article)

New Scientist May 3, 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

If you haven't understood by now, please understand that there are loads of problems that you can avoid by stopping birth control pills. Their benefits simply do not outweigh their tremendous risks, and there are very few settings where I could imagine their use would ever be justified. Although a bit less convenient, barrier methods, planned abstinence and natural family planning (NFP) can be equally effective and provide much safer options than hormonal contraceptives do, with little to no side effects. Interestingly, the author of the above study also authored a study on the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to make hard, clear plastics such as those found in baby bottles and the lining of soft drink cans. When your body is exposed to BPA, it mimics the sex hormone estradiol, an effect that can be detrimental to anyone, but especially a growing child. Related Articles: Birth Control Pills Increase Risk of Breast Cancer Birth Control Pills Increase Blood Clot Risk Birth Control Pill Increases Risk of Fatal Embolism Just Say "No" to Birth Control Pills