Contents:
- Medical Video: Can Birth Control Pills Make You Depressed?
- Does contraception make depression?
- So what does that mean?
- Risk of depression with small hormonal contraception, but it may occur
- So do I have to stop using hormonal contraception?
Medical Video: Can Birth Control Pills Make You Depressed?
The relationship between contraception and depression has been questioned by women who want to use contraception. Even some people who have used it report that contraception can trigger symptoms of depression. Is contraception really making depression? Check out the reviews here.
Does contraception make depression?
The researchers say progestin contraceptives alone, as well as other contraceptives, are safe to use and do not cause depression in women who use them.
After conducting an assessment from previous research, the researchers found that most of the data does not support the relationship between progestin contraception and depression.
According to Dr. Brett Worly, an obstetrician from Ohio State University, has many reasons why people can get depressed, but progestin contraception alone may not be the only cause.
In addition, Dr. Brett also said that in the literature review there was not found an appropriate relationship between a combination of hormonal contraception and depression.
To conduct a recent literature review, the researchers used several research databases to look for previous research on progestin contraception and depression.
The researchers found 26 studies that met the criteria, including research on birth control pills, spiral KB (IUD), implants, and progestin injections only. In almost all of these studies, some patients reported an increase in depressive symptoms after they began using progestin contraception.
So what does that mean?
In short, contraceptive use alone does not necessarily make a woman get depressed. If you experience depression after using contraception, you actually have other risk factors for depression. For example, having a trauma in childhood, there is a history of depression in the family, severe stress, or a disturbance in the balance of chemicals in the brain.
Then when you start using contraception, the risk factor will be increasingly triggered so that you end up experiencing depression. However, if you don't have any risk factors, you won't get depressed because of contraception.
Risk of depression with small hormonal contraception, but it may occur
All forms of hormonal contraception are associated with an increased risk of depression, with a higher risk associated with only progesterone forms, including IUDs.
This risk is also higher in contraceptives other than family planning or hormonal contraceptives such as patches (which are attached to the skin), vaginal rings (inserted into the vagina), and IUDs.
So do I have to stop using hormonal contraception?
No, you don't need to stop using contraception. It is important to note that although the risk of depression among women using hormonal forms of contraception can increase, the overall number of women who experience depression because of using contraception is very small.
An internist from the United States, Dr. Monique Tello reports to Harvard Health Publishing that only about 2.2 out of 100 women who use hormonal birth control experience depression. This shows that only a small proportion of women will be susceptible to these side effects.
