Oral contraception is prescribed to women for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy prevention, endometriosis, PMS, and heavy periods – but new research has suggested that their use increases the risk of depression.
The study revealed that women who began to use oral contraception as teenagers had a 130% higher incidence of symptoms of depression. Meanwhile, the corresponding increase among adults taking the pill was 92%.
Published on Monday, the study also showed that using oral contraceptives during adolescence might increase the risk of depression later in life.
One of the researchers, Therese Johansson said that this influence of contraceptive pills on teenagers can be ascribed to ‘the hormonal changes caused by puberty’.
The study focused on combined contraceptive pills, which contain progestogen. This compound prevents ovulation and thickens the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. Meanwhile, the oestrogen in the pill thins the uterine lining, which hinders the implantation of a fertilised egg.
In 2019, The Guardian reported that almost nine in 10 women who receive contraception from the GP or pharmacies take either the combined pill or the mini pill. This equated to more than 3.1 million women in England taking the pill from 2017-18, a number which had stayed roughly the same for the three years prior.
Researchers stated that most women tolerate oral contraceptives well without experiencing mood effects. However, ‘educating oral contraceptive users, screening for depression, and informing primary healthcare practitioners regarding the OC-depression relationship’ is warranted.
Johansson, of the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology at Uppsala University, said that ‘although contraception has many advantages for women’, patients should be informed about the side effects.
Johansson said: ‘It is important to emphasise that most women tolerate external hormones well, without experiencing negative effects on their mood, so combined contraceptive pills are an excellent option for many women.’
Contraceptive pills enable women to avoid unplanned pregnancies and can also prevent illnesses such as ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. However, ‘certain women may have an increased risk of depression after starting to use contraceptive pills’, Johansson explained.
Now, more than ever, there have been increased calls into more research surrounding the pill. This month, Davina McCall released a documentary called Davina McCall’s Pill Revolution, in which she aims to explore the current state of contraception in the UK.
The survey conducted by Channel 4 for the documentary showed that out of 4,000 women, 77% said they had experienced side effects while taking a contraceptive pill. These included mood swings, anxious feelings, and weight gain.
McCall said: ‘As young women, we’re just chucked on the pill and expected to get on with it.’
