Researchers have tracked all women and adolescent females (living in Denmark) aging from 15 to 34 during the year 2000 to 2014. The study showed that women taking birth control medication are at risk of taking antidepressant medication.
The risk of depression induced by birth control medication was found higher in adolescents and is decreasing as women ages. According to The New York Times, the summary of the results was divided into; combined oral contraceptives, progestogen-only pills, patch, vaginal ring, and levonorgestrel intrauterine system. The percentages were accounted as 23, 34, 100, 60, and 40 respectively.
However, the study conducted is not a controlled trial and establishing causality is not that possible. Before taking any birth control medication, women suffering from depression should let their condition be diagnosed and checked.
However, the study and research conducted have its own limitations as previous studies have not found any correlation between birth control medication and rates of severe depression. Another study published in The European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care shows that most women do not show any effect from hormonal contraception or improvement in their moods.
All studies regarding the connection between depression and birth control medication show different conclusions; whether contraception leads to depression or not. All studies especially those suggesting that contraception leads to depression should be weight properly and accounted appropriately.
Birth control medications are classes in health care that prevent pregnancy. The most common form is oral contraceptives that may contain combinations of the hormones estrogen and progestin alone. According to Medicine Net, the common side effects of birth control pills includes; nausea, headache, breast tenderness, weight gain, and mood changes.
Birth control medications especially oral contraceptives are also used for the treatment of acne and regulation of menstrual cycle. The use of these classes of drugs is linked with different side effects and precautions such as hypertension, kidney disease, liver disease and heart disease and thus, before taking it, proper consultation and diagnosis should be conducted first.
