People have been trying to avoid unwanted pregnancy since forever. Nowadays there are many methods to prevent it, but do you know whether those methods are good for your health?
The most often used contraceptive among women and girls is definitely the pill. Only in the UK 3.5 million women are using it.
But no matter how effective it is, you should be aware that it carries many risks which mustn’t be ignored any more.
If you ever felt that the birth control is causing you changes in the mood, that’s because it actually is.
According to a study from the University of Copenhagen, there is a connection between depression and hormonal contraceptives.
This study was one of the largest studies ever conducted. One million Danish women between the ages of 15 and 34 were observed during an average period of 6.4 years. It was a study necessary for quite some time.
The study has shown that women who were using combination birth control pills had 23% more chances of being diagnosed with depression, while those who were using progestin-only pills (known as the “mini-pill”) had 34% more chances.
Furthermore, using the pill can cause some other risks, such as blood cloth. So make sure that you know all the side effects before you start using it.
Other hormonal contraceptives used as an alternative to the pill, showed even higher risk of developing depression. So women who were using a progestin-only IUD (levonorgestrel) had 40% higher risk of developing depression, those who were using a vaginal ring (etonogestrel) had 60% higher risk and for those who were using the patch (norgestrolmin) the risk was 100%.
The most affected were the teenagers. Teenagers who were using the combined birth control pills had 80% higher risk of developing depression, while those who were on the progestin-only pills had 120% higher risk. And for those teenagers who used non-oral contraceptives, the risk was three times higher.
Still when the study was over, there were some experts who suggested that more studies need to be conducted in order to be completely sure that the negative effect of the pill is depression, said the lead author and professor Øjvind Lidegaard, MD.
However, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Therefore if you and your doctor are concerned about the side effects of the pill, maybe it’s time to go for another option.
After all there are a few others from which you can choose from like condoms, the copper coil, diaphragm, new technology, vasectomy and Vasalgel– a contraceptive injection for men.
What makes me sad is that we are constantly reminded that women are more prone to developing depression simply because of their biological femaleness. Apparently to the medical establishment anything else is acceptable as a cause for depression in women but the hormonal contraceptive isn’t.
I think that these Danish researchers have helped many women around the world and any criticism to their methods shows that the medical establishment will do anything in order to refute any problem with the pill.
Perhaps you haven’t experienced anxiety and depression from the hormonal contraceptives, because not all women do, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Talk with your friend, colleague or relative. Maybe they have experienced these symptoms and by reading this will decide to give up the pill and change their life.
Sources:
Image Copyright: seksan44 / 123RF Stock Photo
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/03/pill-linked-depression-doctors-hormonal-contraceptives
http://time.com/
https://www.irishtimes.com
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.