Risk factor is anything that increases the probability of getting a deadly disease like cancer. Several cancer types have several risk factors. For example, smoking causes 90% of the lung cancer, skin cancer due to the unprotected exposure to UV rays, etc. But these risk factors doesn’t explain everything. Having a single risk factor, or even more, does not guarantee that you are getting the disease. And, most of the people who have this deadly disease might not have had any well-known factors. Even women with ovarian cancer have risk factors, and it is quite hard to understand how much these factors contribute to the disease.

Researchers have revealed several factors that explain a woman’s chance of developing the ovarian cancer. These are as follows:

  • Age factor:The chances get higher with the increasing age. As a result, most of the ovarian cancers are seen after menopause. It is very rare in women of age below 40 and maximum in women above 63 years.
  • Obesity:According to the several studies, obesity is related to this cancer type. Women with a body mass index of 30 (at least) were seen at a higher risk.
  • Pregnancy history:Women getting pregnant before the age of 26 are at a lower risk when compared to the women having their first pregnancy after the age of 35. It is also for those who have never carried a baby before.
  • Use of birth control pills:Women using contraceptives for birth control have a lower risk of developing the ovarian cancer. A recent study has also shown that women who are using an injectable hormonal contraceptive called depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, are at a lower risk.
  • Fertility drugs:Some research studies have found that using clomiphene citrate (fertility drug) for more than a year might increase the chances for ovarian cancers.
  • Androgens (male hormones):Small studies also reveal that Danazol, a drug increasing the androgen levels (male hormones) is connected with the risk of ovarian cancer. However, it is not confirmed in larger studies.
  • Family history:The risk is higher if your mother, daughter, or sister had or has ovarian cancer. It can also come from the father’s side.

There are other factors causing ovarian cancer, if there is anything you don’t understand, ask a cancer expert around in the cancer hospitals.