For people going through menopause or seeking birth control options, medications that help replace and supplement key sex hormones — known as progestogens — are an essential part of treatment.
However, new research published last month suggests that these types of medications are associated with higher risk of a common type of brain tumor. Now, scientists are urging caution and pursuing further research on progestogens as a form of contraception and gynecological treatment.
Progestogens are a family of medications that mimic the effects of progesterone, a sex hormone produced in the ovaries. These medications are used to treat menopausal symptoms and endometriosis, and are one of the most widely-used forms of contraception globally.
Read More: An Accurate History of Birth Control: How Long Have Humans Used It?
Yet a 2014 study found that progesterone receptors are also found in most meningiomas — a type of tumor, usually benign, that grows ...
