Bad-tempered anti-baby pill affects well-being in women

Researchers are studying the effects of taking the anti-baby pill
Many women take the pill to prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, the use can lead to unwanted side effects. Researchers now found that the contraceptive pill can reduce the overall well-being of healthy women.

The researchers at the Karolinka Institutet in Sweden and the Stockholm School of Economics found in their study that taking the so-called contraceptive pill negatively affects the well-being of women. The doctors published a press release on the results of their study.

Many women in Germany prevent by taking the so-called anti-baby pill. However, experts now conclude that use of the contraceptive pill may lead to a general diminished level of well-being. (Image: rosifan19 / fotolia.com)

Experts examine data from 340 women
For their analysis, the physicians analyzed the data of 340 healthy women between the ages of 18 and 35 years. These participants either received prescriptions for a combined contraceptive pill containing ethniylestradoil and levonorgestrel (the most commonly used contraceptive pill in many countries) or a placebo pill, the researchers say.

Negative effects of the contraceptive pill
Of course, none of the participating women knew what type of pill they took. But it quickly became clear that women who took the real contraceptive pill rated their quality of life significantly lower than the participants in the placebo group did. The women said taking the pill would negatively affect their overall well-being, self-control and energy levels, the researchers add.

Effects on quality of life could be of clinical importance
Despite the reported side effects, there was no significant increase in depressive symptoms, the researchers explain. Although the changes were relatively small, the negative impact on the quality of life of individual women could well be of clinical importance.

What are the possible causes??
The reasons for the observed differences could be a low compliance and the irregular use of contraceptive pills, author Niklas Zethraeus suspects. This potential deterioration in quality of life should be taken into account and taken into account when prescribing contraceptive pills and choosing a method of contraception, the expert adds.

Possible link to depression?
The results can not be generalized to other types of combined contraceptive pill. These can have a different risk profile and other side effects. Last year, a very large study found that there was a link between the contraceptive pill and an increased risk of developing depression. This study analyzed one million Danish women. The researchers found that combined oral contraceptives increase the risk of women between the ages of 20 and 34 taking these antidepressants. This identified increased risk is around 23 percent.

Depression by contraceptive pill in adolescents especially common
For young people between the ages of 15 and 19 years, the risk of depression was even 80 percent, the researchers say. This risk even increased to 120 percent, when adolescents used the so-called mini-pill, the authors add. (As)