Women and transgender men may be at risk of developing ovarian cancer.

The risk factors for developing ovarian cancer include:

• ageing (risk increases for women and transgender men aged over 50)
• tobacco smoking
• obesity
• family history of ovarian, breast or bowel cancer
• mutations in genes such as BRCA1/BRCA2 or in Lynch syndrome–associated genes MLH1, MSH2/MSH6
• being of Ashkenazi Jewish descent
• early onset of periods (before 12 years) and late menopause
• no history of pregnancy
• infertility
• women who have not had children or had their first child after the age of 35
• never taking oral contraceptives
• using oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy or fertility treatment
• medical conditions such as endometriosis