Many physicians think that the excess risk for cervical cancer due to pills merely represents its comparison to non-pill users who predominantly use barrier contraceptives. No scientific studies have yet confirmed or denied this. The following table tries to sum these different findings, but remember, this is an artificial summation just for thought. You can see from the above table why many women may be justified in their belief that oral contraceptives increase the risk of cancer. Oral contraceptive decisions should take into account family history of cancer.
Many women are concerned about undesirable side effects of any form of contraceptive.
The perceived incidence of these effects keeps women from using any protection against pregnancy so it is important to know what the chance of symptoms such as weight gain and irregular menstrual bleeding actually is. DMPA intramuscularly in either the shoulder or buttocks muscle. The first two DMPA injections were given 6-8 weeks apart in an effort to decrease menstrual irregularity. Subsequent shots were given every 3 months. No pregnancies occurred.