Background <p>Contraception in women with breast and ovarian cancer is complex as effective pregnancy prevention must be balanced against potential hormonal interactions with the oncological disease.</p> Objective <p>Summary of the current evidence on the safety and suitability of hormonal and nonhormonal contraceptive methods in these patients.</p> Methods <p>Narrative review of current studies and clinical guidelines addressing contraception in breast and ovarian cancer.</p> Results <p>Nonhormonal methods are universally applicable and oncologically safe, with copper intrauterine devices (IUD) and permanent procedures providing the highest contraceptive safety. Hormonal contraception is associated with a&#xa0;slight increase in the risk for breast cancer and a&#xa0;potential increased risk of recurrence cannot be excluded. Therefore, guidelines advise against the use of hormonal methods. In ovarian cancer hormonal contraceptives are associated with a protective effect with respect to the primary incidence of disease, while data regarding recurrence risk are limited and inconsistent.</p> Conclusion <p>The choice of contraceptive requires an individualized risk-benefit assessment considering the tumor characteristics, comorbidities and patient preferences.</p>