Surreal illustration of menstrual pain and ovarian cancer awareness

Period Pain and Ovarian Cancer: Is There a Link?

Avery Sinclair in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"A comprehensive study explores the potential connection between menstrual pain and epithelial ovarian cancer risk, offering new insights for women's health."

Ovarian cancer remains a significant health challenge for women, ranking as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Early detection is crucial, but less than 15% of cases are diagnosed before the cancer has spread. This makes understanding potential risk factors a critical area of research.

One area of increasing interest is the role of inflammation in ovarian cancer development. Conditions like endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, which are characterized by inflammation, have been linked to increased ovarian cancer risk. Conversely, factors that reduce inflammation, such as tubal ligation and regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), have been associated with a decreased risk.

Menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a common gynecological condition often associated with heightened inflammation. While some studies have explored a possible connection between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer, the results have been inconsistent. Many of these studies were limited by small sample sizes and inadequate consideration of other potential risk factors. A new, large-scale study seeks to provide more definitive answers.

Does Severe Period Pain Increase Ovarian Cancer Risk?

Surreal illustration of menstrual pain and ovarian cancer awareness

A recent study by the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) investigated the relationship between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer risk. The study pooled data from nine different studies, including over 10,592 cases of ovarian cancer and 13,320 control participants. This large sample size allowed researchers to examine the association with greater statistical power and to explore potential differences based on the specific type of ovarian cancer.

The study distinguished between two ways of assessing menstrual pain: direct questions and indirect questions. Direct questions specifically asked participants about their experience of severe or significant menstrual pain. Indirect questions used the use of medications, including NSAIDs, oral contraceptives, as a proxy for menstrual pain.

Direct questioning: Involved directly asking study participants if they experienced severe menstrual pain.
Indirect questioning: Used medication use as an indicator. If women reported taking pain relievers, hormones, or other medications for menstrual pain, they were classified as experiencing severe pain.

The OCAC study found that, overall, women who reported severe menstrual pain based on direct questioning had a slightly elevated risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13). This small but statistically significant increase suggests a potential link. However, when menstrual pain was assessed using indirect questions (medication use), no association with ovarian cancer risk was observed (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89-1.07).

What Does This Mean for Women's Health?

The OCAC study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer risk. The findings suggest a small but significant association between severe menstrual pain and an increased risk of ovarian cancer, particularly for clear cell and serous borderline subtypes. While recall bias and undiagnosed endometriosis could play a role, the study highlights the importance of continued research in this area.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/ijc.31010, Alternate LINK

Title: Menstrual Pain And Risk Of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Results From The Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium

Subject: Cancer Research

Journal: International Journal of Cancer

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Ana Babic, Holly R. Harris, Allison F. Vitonis, Linda J. Titus, Susan J. Jordan, Penelope M. Webb, Harvey A. Risch, Mary Anne Rossing, Jennifer A. Doherty, Kristine Wicklund, Marc T. Goodman, Francesmary Modugno, Kirsten B. Moysich, Roberta B. Ness, Susanne K. Kjaer, Joellen Schildkraut, Andrew Berchuck, Celeste L. Pearce, Anna H. Wu, Daniel W. Cramer, Kathryn L. Terry

Published: 2017-09-21

Everything You Need To Know

Is there a definitive link between period pain and ovarian cancer according to the latest research?

The OCAC study indicates a small but statistically significant association between severe menstrual pain reported through direct questioning and a slightly elevated risk of ovarian cancer. However, this link was not observed when menstrual pain was assessed indirectly through medication use. This suggests that the relationship is complex and requires further investigation, especially considering potential factors like recall bias and undiagnosed endometriosis.

What specific types of ovarian cancer showed a potential link to severe menstrual pain in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) study?

The OCAC study indicated a potential association between severe menstrual pain and an increased risk of specific subtypes of ovarian cancer, particularly clear cell and serous borderline tumors. This suggests that the relationship between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer risk may vary depending on the specific histological type of the cancer.

How did the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) study differentiate between assessing menstrual pain, and why is this distinction important?

The OCAC study differentiated between assessing menstrual pain using direct questions and indirect questions. Direct questions involved asking participants directly about their experience of severe menstrual pain. Indirect questions used medication use, such as NSAIDs or oral contraceptives, as a proxy for menstrual pain. This distinction is important because the study found a statistically significant association between ovarian cancer and severe menstrual pain only when assessed through direct questioning, not through medication use. This discrepancy suggests potential biases or confounding factors related to medication use.

What role does inflammation play in the potential connection between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer risk?

Inflammation is believed to play a role in ovarian cancer development. Conditions characterized by inflammation, such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, have been linked to increased ovarian cancer risk. Menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is often associated with heightened inflammation, which is why researchers are exploring a potential connection between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer. However, it's also noted that factors reducing inflammation, like tubal ligation and NSAID use, have been associated with decreased ovarian cancer risk, adding complexity to understanding the precise relationship.

What are the limitations of previous studies that have explored the link between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer, and how did the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) study address these limitations?

Previous studies exploring the link between menstrual pain and ovarian cancer were often limited by small sample sizes and inadequate consideration of other potential risk factors. The OCAC study addressed these limitations by pooling data from nine different studies, resulting in a large sample size of over 10,592 cases of ovarian cancer and 13,320 control participants. This large sample size allowed researchers to examine the association with greater statistical power and to explore potential differences based on the specific type of ovarian cancer. The study also differentiated between direct and indirect questioning to assess menstrual pain, providing a more nuanced understanding of the potential relationship.