We are highlighting this new study at Clear Connections because we see people that have no idea birth control comes with negative side effects, from depression to increased risk of stroke. The majority of women on birth control don’t know this information and in order to truly make an informed decision about your health this new research is critical. Please pass this information on to anyone you think could benefit from it.
“Taking hormonal birth control might be associated with an increased risk for depression compared with those who don’t use contraception, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.”
“We have known for decades that women’s sex hormones estrogen and progesterone have an influence on many women’s mood. Therefore, it is not very surprising that also external artificial hormones acting in the same way and on the same centers as the natural hormones might also influence women’s mood or even be responsible for depression development,” said Dr. Øjvind Lidegaard, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and lead supervisor of the study.
Depression risk, by the numbers
Among all hormonal birth control users in the study, there was a 40% increased risk of depression after six months, compared to women who did not use hormonal birth control, the researchers found.
In the United States, about 62% of women 15 to 44 years old use some form of contraception.
“Adolescents seemed more vulnerable to this risk than women 20 to 34 years old. Further studies are warranted to examine depression as a potential adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use,” the researchers wrote in their study.
Knowledge is Power and It is up to you to weigh the risks and benefits of living the most natural and healthy life possible. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a comment below.
Yours in Health,
Team at CCC