---
title: Does a low-dose birth control pill with drospirenone help PMDD?
description: Yes, the pill reduced symptoms significantly more than placebo. On average, 8 women need to take it for 1 to experience major improvement (50% symptom reducti
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/efficacy-of-a-new-low-dose-oral-contraceptive-with-drospirenone-in-premenstrual-2005/
---

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- Does a low-dose birth control pill with drospirenone help PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2005

# Does a low-dose birth control pill with drospirenone help PMDD?

Yes, the pill reduced symptoms significantly more than placebo. On average, 8 women need to take it for 1 to experience major improvement (50% symptom reduction).

 Strong study design

450 women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder

## What they did

450 women with PMDD were randomly assigned to take either a birth control pill with drospirenone 3 mg and ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg (24 days active pills, 4 days inactive) or placebo. Symptoms were charted daily for 3 treatment cycles after 2 run-in cycles.

## What they found

Total symptom scores decreased 37.49 with the pill versus 29.99 with placebo. Mood improved 19.2 versus 15.3. Physical symptoms improved 10.7 versus 8.6. Behavioral symptoms improved 7.7 versus 6.2. About 48% of pill users had at least 50% symptom improvement versus 36% with placebo. Number needed to treat was 8.

## What it means for you

The pill works better than placebo for PMDD, though benefits are modest. The number needed to treat of 8 means 8 women need treatment for 1 to see major improvement. This is a large, high-quality trial.

450

women randomized

48%

pill users improved, versus 36% placebo

8

number needed to treat

## About the study

Original title Efficacy of a new low-dose oral contraceptive with drospirenone in premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Yonkers KA, Brown C, Pearlstein TB et al. Journal Obstetrics and gynecology Year 2005 Study design Randomised trial Participants 450 What was tested Drospirenone 3 mg with ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg (24/4 regimen) versus placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/01.aog.0000175834.77215.2e](https://doi.org/10.1097/01.aog.0000175834.77215.2e)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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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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