Ovarian cancer is a serious risk for women all across the world, and one of the factors allegedly linked to ovarian cancer is baby powder.

If you or someone you love is concerned that your ovarian cancer may have been caused by baby powder, here are some things you should know.

Can Baby Powder Cause Cancer?

Baby powder is known as a completely harmless product, given that it is most commonly used on infants and in private areas. However, research and reports indicate baby powder linked to cancer, meaning that consumers should be aware of risks and symptoms when using this and similar products.

There are two major kinds of baby powder – those derived from cornstarch, and those derived from talc, or talcum powder. Cornstarch based baby powders are not involved in these allegations.

Talc is a natural mineral found in mines, but has a silica base. Asbestos is another mineral from a silica base, and is also associated with an increased cancer risk.  This similarity only fuels the public’s cause for concern.

According to several surveys, over 40 percent of women use talcum baby powder during their daily routines, which means that a potentially large number of women may be exposed to baby powder linked to cancer risk. The increased risk of baby powder cancer may be as much as 41 percent.

Cancer Prevention Research published a study in 2013 linking baby powder products such as Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Reports of baby powder ovarian cancer is a huge concern, given the severity of the disease as well as the widespread use of baby powder products.

Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer

With studies that indicate baby powder linked to cancer, it is important for women to recognize baby powder ovarian cancer symptoms. Ovarian cancer is a particularly dangerous form of cancer. Ovarian cancer and similar or related cancers are the fifth leading cause of cancer fatalities in United States women, according to the National Cancer Institute.

There are very few early ovarian cancer symptoms, and so this disease is usually not discovered until much later, in the last stages of the cancer, which makes this alleged baby powder side effect even more dangerous.

Once a patient has progressed into the later stages of ovarian cancer symptoms, there is not much that can be done to stop the disease, and it becomes much more dangerous. This delay in discovery causes the fatality rate of ovarian cancer to soar, given that treatment is so much less effective in later stages.

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Allegations of this link between talc-based baby powders and cancer, namely ovarian cancer, have been cause for serious concern among women who have used this kind of product.

Plaintiffs claim that, had they been adequately warned about the dangers of these potentially serious risks would have prevented them from using the product, and therefore would have allowed them to avoid ovarian cancer diagnosis altogether.

If you or someone you know has used Johnson’s Baby Powder or a similar powder product containing talc and have since been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be able to file a baby powder cancer lawsuit.