The prevention of any disease can be done by taking good care of the health and staying away from the risk factors of that disease; however, in case of ovarian cancer no specific cause has yet been discovered.

Hence, prevention from specific things or objects may not avert you from getting ovarian cancer but there are certain factors that influence the risk of having the cancer and can be easily avoided.

Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors & Prevention

There are several risk factors that can affect the risk of getting this cancer. Some of these factors are modifiable and under our control like obesity or not smoking while others are non-modifiable like aging or genetics. Still, taking care of the factors that are in control can help a person to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

• Usage of oral contraceptives

  Use of birth control pills can help a woman to reduce the risk of getting ovarian cancer. Especially the women who have been using oral contraceptives for several years (5 or more) have 50% lower risk of ovarian cancer than the women who never used these.

• Avoiding HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)

  The replacement of estrogen hormone increases the risk of having ovarian cancer. Women who have been taking HRT from a long time have increased risk of ovarian cancer. By reducing the consumption of these drugs or by avoiding this process and managing the symptoms of menopause (for which this therapy is primarily undertaken) through other methods would work as a preventive measure for ovarian cancer.

• Avoiding fertility treatment

  The drugs taken for fertility treatments for over a year increase the risk of getting ovarian cancer. Especially for the women who do not get pregnant during the treatment. Limiting these drugs or avoiding them can help in reducing the risk of cancer.

• Keep weight under control

  Obesity is also found to be one of the major risk factor for ovarian cancer. Women, who have body mass index about or more than 30, are at higher risk of cancers than the women with the average body mass index (18.5 to 24.9). Staying fit and having an optimum weight can help in reducing the risk of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the 'silent killer'. Its signs and symptoms are non-specific and hence, they are commonly mistaken for everyday changes associated with menopause or aging. It affects millions of women and is the deadliest tumor of the female reproductive system. Complete health checkup and blood work can help in the detection of this disease. Ovarian cancers cannot be prevented, but knowing the risk factors can help detect cancer early.