---
title: Does a triphasic birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms?
description: It reduced breast pain and bloating but did not help mood symptoms. Women also experienced decreased sexual interest as a side effect.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-prospective-treatment-study-of-premenstrual-symptoms-using-a-triphasic-oral-1992/
---

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- Does a triphasic birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms?

Randomised trial, 1992

# Does a triphasic birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms?

It reduced breast pain and bloating but did not help mood symptoms. Women also experienced decreased sexual interest as a side effect.

 Moderate study design

82 women recruited; 45 completed with confirmed moderate to severe PMS

## What they did

Eighty-two women with moderate to severe PMS made daily symptom ratings for at least one cycle, then were randomly assigned to take either a triphasic oral contraceptive or placebo for three months. Forty-five women with confirmed PMS completed the study.

## What they found

Breast pain and bloating were significantly reduced with the birth control pill compared to placebo (p less than 0.03). There were no benefits over placebo for mood symptoms. Women taking the pill reported decreased sexual interest.

## What it means for you

The birth control pill may help some physical PMS symptoms like breast pain and bloating but not mood symptoms, and comes with the side effect of reduced sexual interest. Many women dropped out, which limits confidence in the findings.

82

women recruited

45

women completed study

23

women dropped out

## About the study

Original title A prospective treatment study of premenstrual symptoms using a triphasic oral contraceptive Authors Graham CA, Sherwin BB Journal Journal of psychosomatic research Year 1992 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Triphasic oral contraceptive vs placebo for three months Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(92)90090-o](https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(92)90090-o)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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