Survey study, 2001
Does oral contraceptive use affect daily mood?
Yes. Birth control pills can change how mood varies from day to day. The effect depends on what type of pill a woman takes and whether she or her family has a history of psychiatric problems.
What they did
96 women (17 who just started taking the pill, 34 who had used it long-term, and 45 who had never taken it) completed mood surveys every day for 35 days.
What they found
Women on triphasic pills (hormones that change during the cycle) had greater swings in positive mood across the cycle. Women starting monophasic pills (constant hormone) had greater swings in positive mood than women on triphasic pills. Personal and family psychiatric history appeared to affect negative mood variability.
What it means for you
Hormones in birth control pills can affect daily mood swings in some women, with the effect depending on pill type and psychiatric history. The study only tracked mood for 35 days, which is a short time period.
96
total women
35
days of mood tracking
17
first-time pill users
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of oral contraceptives on daily self-ratings of positive and negative affect
- Authors
- Oinonen KA, Mazmanian D
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic research
- Year
- 2001
- Study design
- Survey study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(01)00240-9
Topics
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