A paediatric perspective on hormonal contraception and breast cancer risk: New literature about a recurring question

The New England Journal of Medicine recently featured an original research article, 'Contemporary Hormonal Contraception and the Risk of Breast Cancer'. (Source: Mørch LS, Skovlund CW, Hannaford PC, Iversen L, Fielding S, Lidegaard Ø. Contemporary hormonal contraception and the risk of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2017;377(23):2228-39). This study of 1.8 million women ages 15 to 49 years in Denmark found that women who were currently or recently using any type of hormonal contraception had an increased risk of breast cancer and this risk increased with longer duration of use. To date, the implications of this study have focused on older female populations. In this commentary, the authors summarize the key findings of the study and discuss its unique implications for adolescents. The authors emphasize that health care providers need not change their practice as a result of this 'old but new again' controversy and should continue to support the prevention of unintended pregnancy by promoting access to ALL forms of contraception.