---
title: Do birth control pills reduce mood and body changes around menstruation?
description: No. Women on birth control pills reported the same patterns of mood and body changes around menstruation as women not on pills.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/an-assessment-of-psychological-state-associated-with-the-menstrual-cycle-in-1986/
---

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- Do birth control pills reduce mood and body changes around menstruation?

Study, 1986

# Do birth control pills reduce mood and body changes around menstruation?

No. Women on birth control pills reported the same patterns of mood and body changes around menstruation as women not on pills.

 Early or limited evidence

65 women at family planning clinics without existing menstrual complaints

## What they did

Researchers studied 65 women at family planning clinics who did not have existing menstrual complaints. Women recorded their mood and physical state every day. The researchers compared patterns between women using birth control pills and women not using them.

## What they found

Both groups reported significant changes in physical and mental state before menstruation. These changes returned to normal levels 3 to 5 days after menstruation started. No clear difference between birth control pill users and non-users in these patterns.

## What it means for you

In women without existing menstrual complaints, taking birth control pills does not prevent the mood and body changes around menstruation. These results apply only to women who do not already have menstrual problems and may not apply to women with PMS or PMDD who are seeking treatment.

65

women studied

3-5

days after menstruation when symptoms returned to normal

## About the study

Original title An assessment of psychological state associated with the menstrual cycle in users of oral contraception Authors Marriott A, Faragher EB Journal Journal of psychosomatic research Year 1986 Study design Study What was tested Comparison of oral contraceptive users and non-users Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(86)90064-4](https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(86)90064-4)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Economic burden](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-economic-burden/)

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

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