How can you lower your risk of getting ovarian cancer?

WEIGHT Being obese increases the risk of ovarian cancer. So keeping a healthy weight could help lower the chances of developing the disease.

SMOKING Women who smoke are at higher risk of developing some types of ovarian cancer. If you smoke, quitting can help cut your risk of this cancer and other illnesses.

THE PILL Oral contraceptives significantly reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer, both while you’re taking them and long after you stop. Taking the pill slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. BREASTFEEDING Women who breastfeed their children may have a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

FAMILY

HISTORY If a close family relative has, or has had, breast cancer or ovarian cancer, you can talk to your GP about screening to see if there’s an abnormal gene (BRCA1, BRCA2) in the family. And, if so, take advice.