A contraceptive injection has been linked to an increased risk of brain tumours, usually benign, in a new study.
Scientists have found that prolonged use of certain progestogen medications was linked to a greater risk of meningioma — tumours that form in tissues around the brain and spinal cord.
Although generally non-cancerous, these tumours can still cause serious problems in some patients due to their location — including changes in vision, loss of hearing, smell and memory, as well as seizures and weakness in the arms or legs.
Progesterone treatments are used by millions of women as contraception or to treat gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis.
A handful of high-dose progestogens — similar to the natural hormone progesterone — are already known to raise
