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Strategies to Prevent Ovarian Cancer

There are a number of strategies that may be used to assist women in preventing ovarian cancer; they revolve around the risk factors that have been identified by surveys and studies of women who have ovarian cancer. These strategies involve oral contraceptives, dietary modification and exercise, pregnancy or breast-feeding, genetic counseling, tubal ligation, and ovary removal.

Oral contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy, but are also used to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 40% to 50%. It has been found that after 5 years of use ovarian cancer can be beneficial to women who at high risk for ovarian cancer. Doctors do caution women who are at risk for breast cancer that using oral contraceptives may increase the risk for this cancer.

Dietary modification and exercise can aid the cause of preventing ovarian cancer when women eat a diet that is low in fat, high in fiber and makes a strong effort to reduce red meat consumption as well as to reduce or avoid alcohol consumption. This diet to be effective in preventing ovarian cancer must be followed for at least four years. It is important for women to also exercise for 3 times a week in order to maintain a body fat percentage that is within acceptable range for your.

Women who are 18 years of age or older are considered to be at risk if the body mass index (BMI) is greater than 25. Women should know what their BMI is and make sure that it is in normal range.

It is not a good idea to base decisions about having children or not on preventing cancer alone but it is something to consider while discussing the topic. It has been shown that the risk for ovarian cancer reduces by 30% to 60% in women who have been pregnant and this increases with every pregnancy.

Breast-feeding which begins when estrogen and progesterone levels drop after childbirth and ovulation is suppressed also may offer some protection against ovarian cancer.

Gynecological surgeries such as removal of the ovaries, tubal ligation and hysterectomy can decrease a women's risk for ovarian cancer by stopping cancer-causing agents from reaching the ovaries. These surgeries should be performed for other medical reasons and not solely for the prevention of ovarian cancer. Some women do elect to have the ovaries removed because they are at high risk for ovarian cancer but a doctor should make sure that the woman is sure she does not desire children before agreeing to the surgery. Cancers can still form from the lining cells within the pelvic cavity even after these surgeries.

Genetic counseling can identify a woman's risk for ovarian cancer based on family history and genetic analysis. A woman can be put at ease if the results show that she does not have the mutation that would put her at risk for ovarian cancer. The genetic counseling can help inform women of their risk factor so that they can be more diligent about lifestyle choices and taking other preventative measures based on their identified risk factors and genetic testing results.