Mood swings can happen to anyone, but more often to women? In a way, according to scientists from Australia. Especially in those who use oral hormonal contraception. The authors of the study explained why birth control pills have such a negative effect on well-being.
- Scientists conducted a study in which they showed that mood swings while taking oral contraceptives were due to its effect on the level of oxytocin in the body
- Oxytocin is a hormone produced naturally by the body, the activity of which is mainly associated with childbirth and lactation. It also develops in partners during intercourse
- Scientists report that taking hormonal contraceptives disrupts the secretion of oxytocin
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The effectiveness of hormonal contraception, which is one of the most frequently chosen forms of contraception, is estimated at over 99%. Birth control pills can be used safely for many years. Some women, however, may experience side effects. These include, but are not limited to, mood changes such as nervousness, sadness, and feeling depressed. Scientists during their research found that mood swings while taking oral contraceptives were due to its effect on the level of oxytocin in the body.
Why do birth control pills affect mood swings in women?
Oxytocin is a hormone produced naturally by the body (the so-called love hormone), the action of which is mainly associated with childbirth and lactation. But not only that. It has been proven that oxytocin is also released during contact with loved ones and thus strengthens social behavior.
The hormone that is produced in partners during intercourse is designed to make them seem more attractive to each other. The oxytocin secreted during sex first stimulates the desire to have a child, and when it is fertilized, in women it develops the maternal instinct, and in the man a sense of paternal duty and willingness to be with a partner. The bond between mother and child is also deepened.
Contraceptive pills can be divided into one- and two-component pills, the first contain a derivative of progesterone, the second — a progesterone derivative and an estrogen derivative. Taking hormonal contraception disturbs the secretion of oxytocin — estrogens increase the secretion of oxytocin, and progesterone inhibits it, and this has an impact on the mood.
If you feel your pill is affecting your mood, talk to your doctor who can help you find the right contraceptive method for you. There are many choices. Finding the contraceptive that works for you depends on a number of factors. The patient’s age, general health and mental state must be taken into account
— explained the co-author of the study, prof. Jayashri Kulkarni of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Center in Melbourne.
Research on the effect of contraceptive pills on the so-called the love hormone has been around for a long time. Two years ago, researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark analyzed blood samples from 185 young women with an average age of just over 20 years. The study found that women who take birth control pills have significantly higher levels of the hormone oxytocin in their blood compared with women who do not. Oxytocin is expected to naturally reduce anxiety and relieve anxiety, but when its levels are permanently elevated, it may act in the opposite way.
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