Randomised trial, 2007
Do birth control pills help depression that worsens before the period in women on antidepressants?
Both women who got additional hormone in the second phase and those who got placebo improved significantly, so we cannot say whether the additional hormone made a difference.
What they did
25 women taking antidepressants whose depression worsened before their period participated. First, all took ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg and drospirenone 3 mg for 21 days per cycle. Then for days 22-28, they randomly received (double-blind) either more hormone or placebo. This repeated for 2 cycles. 21 completed.
What they found
In women who completed the study, depression scores improved significantly on the MADRS scale (p = .0019) and daily symptom severity also improved significantly (p = .0001). However, there was no difference between those who received extra ethinyl estradiol and those who received placebo.
What it means for you
Adding birth control pills may help depression that breaks through before the period. However, since both groups improved equally, we cannot be sure it was the extra hormone causing the improvement rather than expectation or other factors. The study is small and many women dropped out, so results need confirmation in a larger study.
25
women enrolled
21
women who completed
2 cycles
study duration
About the study
- Original title
- Treatment of premenstrual worsening of depression with adjunctive oral contraceptive pills: a preliminary report
- Authors
- Joffe H, Petrillo LF, Viguera AC et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry
- Year
- 2007
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 13
- What was tested
- Ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg and drospirenone 3 mg with additional hormone or placebo
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v68n1218
Topics
Related studies
Study, 2026
Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?
Study, 2026
What treatments work for PMDD?
Case-control study, 2007
Are there genes that increase the risk of PMDD?
Case report, 2023
Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work?
Study, 2022
What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2017
Does adding birth control to antidepressants help depression that worsens before your period?