Most birth control pills require taking 21 active pills; After that, the woman takes a seven-day break or takes seven inactive pills (containing no hormones). Scientists from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology found that women’s mood worsens when taking inactive pills. The study was published on: JAMA Network Open.
Between April 2021 and June 2022, researchers studied 120 women who used various oral contraceptives for a long time and tolerated them well. The control group consisted of 60 women who did not use contraceptives. All participants completed a series of surveys about their mood twice a month.
The analysis showed that women using oral contraceptives experienced a 7% increase in anxiety scores and a 13% increase in negative emotions when they took a 7-day break from taking the pill. Similar changes occurred in women who did not take the pill before menstruation.
Women experience menstrual-like bleeding while taking the inactive pills, but scientists do not know whether this causes worsening mood.
The authors suggest that women who experience severe mood swings while taking inactive pills should talk to their doctors about taking the hormones without interruption or with fewer interruptions.
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Source: Gazeta
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