It’s a unusual victory for a South Dakota woman after a jury found baby powder manufacturer Johnson & Johnson guilty for failing to warn consumers of the ovarian cancer risks linked to their product yet awarded the plaintiff zero dollars in damages.

Plaintiff Deane B. filed a baby powder cancer lawsuit against the makers of Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower after being diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer — a medical condition that she believes is connected to her daily use of talcum powder. Deane claims she used Johnson & Johnson baby powder and Shower to Shower products as a regular part of her hygiene routine since she was a teenager and recent reports show Deane is not alone.

About 40 percent of U.S. women claim to use baby powder on their genital area as part of their daily hygiene ritual. Consumers believe that the talcum products are even marketed for daily use as Shower to Shower ads state “a sprinkle a day keeps odor away.”

Johnson’s Baby Powder is advertised to be “clinically proven to be gentle and mild for your baby’s skin.” Many women believe that if the product is deemed safe enough to use on infants, it probably doesn’t contain any serious health risks.

However, recent baby powder cancer studies have shown women who use talcum powder on their genital area have a 92 percent greater risk of developing ovarian cancer when compared to non users. In biopsied ovarian cancer tumors, talc particles (the main ingredient in baby powder) have been found in 75 percent of cases. Despite the medical findings, talcum powder products contain no warning of the significant cancer risks.

Ovarian Cancer and Talcum Powder

With cancer studies on the rise, researchers have been able to discover the link between using talc powder on the genital area and developing ovarian cancer. According to medical reports, talcum particles are able to travel from the vagina into the reproductive area leaving women susceptible to developing ovarian cancer. Exams and biopsies have found tiny talc particles deep within the pelvis and ovaries in some women.

Ovarian cancer claimed 14,000 lives in the United States last year alone. And while most ovarian cancer is diagnosed in an advanced stage like Deane’s condition, medical experts say there are some symptoms to watch for.

Ovarian cancer symptoms include:

• A frequent need to urinate
• Discomfort in the pelvis area
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
• Weight loss
• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

While this particular case may not have awarded the plaintiff with any financial compensation, lawyers are encouraged that baby powder manufacturers have been found guilty for failure to warn. Since the jury’s verdict, about 700 more ovarian cancer lawsuits have been filed against talc powder manufacturers. Most of the baby powder lawsuits are filed in New Jersey which is where Johnson & Johnson is headquartered, and are scheduled to go to trial in early 2016.

Plaintiffs filing baby powder lawsuits as individuals or as part of a baby powder class action lawsuit seek financial compensation for loss of economic wages, medical bills as well as pain and suffering endured by the plaintiff.