Lab study, 2006
Do mood swings happen the same way in people taking birth control pills compared to people not taking them?
In young healthy women, mood worsened before menstruation and improved around ovulation regardless of birth control pill use. The mood patterns were the same in both groups.
What they did
Study of 62 young women with regular cycles who were not clinically depressed. For five weeks, 18 women taking oral contraceptives and 44 women not taking them recorded their daily mood, irritability, energy, and tension using visual rating scales. They also completed a standard mood questionnaire once per week.
What they found
Mood varied across the menstrual cycle mainly in the depression-dejection dimension. Mood improved around day 14 (ovulation) and worsened premenstrually. There were no significant differences in mood patterns between people taking oral contraceptives and those not taking them.
What it means for you
Birth control pills did not change the natural mood fluctuations that occur with the menstrual cycle in these young healthy women. This was a study of young women without depression, so the findings may not apply to older women or those with mood disorders.
62
total women in study
18
taking oral contraceptives
44
not taking oral contraceptives
About the study
- Original title
- Mood swings across the menstrual cycle: a comparison between oral contraceptive users and non-users
- Authors
- Vincenzo Natale, Paola Albertazzi
- Journal
- Biological Rhythm Research
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Lab study
- Participants
- 62
- What was tested
- Comparison of oral contraceptive users and non-users
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/09291010600772451
Topics
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