Taking birth control pills may increase risk of depression by more than 130%

For many women, the pill is a given. This was listed in a 2020 study by the National Institute of Demographic Studies as the fourth most used form of contraception in the world.

But today more and more questions arise about the effect of these contraceptives on women. It was already known that birth control pills tended to lead to weight gain, mood disorders, or even bleeding. But a Swedish study published in the journal Epidemiology and Psychological Sciences Much more troublesome symptoms are reported. Indeed, after analyzing more than 260,000 women’s medical records, researchers concluded that taking birth control pills increases the risk of depression in women by 73%, especially during the first two years after the onset of depression.

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the reason ? A hormone-related side effect, according to researchers at Uppsala University, Sweden. According to their accounts, “cThe results could be explained by hormonal fluctuations caused by starting the OC pill, which may affect women who are particularly sensitive to changes in levels of hormones and their metabolites..”Also, OC use during adolescence may increase the risk of depression later in life.”They explained that women who started taking the Pill at a younger age had 130% higher symptoms of depression than adult women taking the Pill, for whom that statistic rose to 92%.

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The study has proven itself in more ways than one. In fact, the researchers also noted, with families with daughters, whether a causal relationship had been established. The verdict is final. People who take birth control pills have more depressive disorders than family members who don’t take these contraceptives.

But the scientists defended themselves against any accusation of seeking to damage the image of the contraceptive:Birth control pills allow women to avoid unwanted pregnancies and can also prevent diseases that affect women, including ovarian and uterine cancer.defended one of the authors.