Nuns urged to take contraceptive pill

They have pledged their life to a higher calling, but nuns are now being urged to take the contraceptive pill.

This is because nuns, like other women who have not had children, face an increased risk of dying from a variety of cancers, as compared to women who bear children.

To remedy the risk, a comment published online in the Lancet medical journal suggests nuns be given the contraceptive pill, which reduces overall mortality and mortality due to ovarian and uterine cancer.

Women who have not had children have more ovulatory menstrual cycles, due to the absence of pregnancy and lactation. The higher number of cycles increases cancer risk.

Women who have children further decrease their risk of these cancers if they have their first child at a young age, bear more children, and breastfeed.

The authors, Dr Kara Britt from Monash University and Professor Roger Short from the University of Melbourne, said studies have shown overall mortality in women using the pill is 12 per cent lower, with the risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancer falling by 50 to 60 per cent. This protection persists for 20 years.

However, the pill is not risk free. The combined oestrogen/progestogen pill can increase the risk of blood clots, which is why the woman's medical history must be taken into account when it is prescribed.

The authors write: "If the Catholic church could make the contraceptive pill freely available to all its nuns, it would reduce the risk of those accursed pests, cancer of the ovary and uterus, and give nuns' plight the recognition it deserves."

This article was published on Thu 8 December 2011