Dear Patients,
Thank you for visiting my new website. My goal is to provide you with general gynecology and women’s health information, in addition to specific information regarding Woman to Woman Gynecology Services. Check back often for new information and links to current articles of interest. I hope to see you in the clinic soon.
Barbara L. Patrick, MD
A Doctor You Can Confide in for:
Medical and surgical treatment of menstural disorders, pelvic organ prolapse, general infertility testing and treatment. Well women exams, birth control counseling and evaluation of abnormal pap smears.
Q&A with Dr. Patrick
Do birth control pills (BCP’s) cause cancer?
Studies have consistently shown a reduction in the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers. This effect increases the longer you use the pill. It may also decrease your risk of colorectal cancer by 20%. Findings are mixed with regards to breast cancer. Most studies do not find a correlation and those that do are often older studies using higher dose pills than what are prescribed today. One study did show a higher risk of breast cancer in women who started the pill as teenagers. Their risk returned to normal 10 years after discontinuing BCP’s. A rare type of cervical cancer, adenocarcinoma, is slightly increased with more that 4 years of pill use. For most women, experts agree that the benefits far outweigh the risks.
