Women on oral hormonal contraception would secrete more oxytocin than the average. This hormone is associated with social behaviors.
- Mood disorders are seen in some women on oral contraception
- A change in the level of a hormone called oxytocin could be the cause of these side effects
- Study Shows Blood Oxytocin Levels Twice Higher in Women Taking Oral Contraception
Every drug can cause side effects, even the birth control pill. Some women experience low libido, others gain weight or experience mood swings. Researchers from the Danish University of Aarhus have investigated the causes of these mood swings. According to their findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, women taking the pill would have higher levels of oxytocin in the blood, compared to those not using this method of contraception. This hormone, also called the “love hormone”, is associated with bonding and social behavior.
Altered feelings
“Oxytocin is naturally present in the body, explains Professor Michael Winterdahl, author of the study, it is secreted following social signals or emotional ties, and is therefore linked to our emotions.” According to him, a high blood level of this hormone means that its production is carried out under different conditions from normal. “It is these production dynamics that are important for our emotional lives, he adds, this could explain why certain feelings such as intimacy, attachment or love are altered in women using the contraceptive pill.”
A single hormone is responsible
The study was carried out using blood samples from 185 young women residing in the United States. At the same time, they answered questionnaires on their mental well-being. Blood oxytocin levels were almost twice as high in women taking oral contraception, compared to those not using it. “For the first time, we have evidence that changes in oxytocin levels, in response to taking a contraceptive pill, lead to mood disorders in some women”, underlines the professor. “As oxytocin is important for attachment to the partner, one can imagine that this high level finding is important, not only for the woman, but also more broadly for her relationships with others.” According to him, even a small change in oxytocin levels can affect our emotions and social interactions. With his team, he now intends to continue his analyzes to understand which women are more likely to suffer from this type of disorder.
Links to depression?
Previous research has already linked birth control pills to depression. In 2016, an observational study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, indicates that the risk of taking anti-depressants was multiplied by 1.23 in women taking the pill. Teenage girls are more affected than adult women.
According to a publication of the prestigious Harvard University, the risk of depression is really higher, but it nevertheless represents a small proportion: 2.2 women out of 100 taking oral contraception suffer from depression, against 1.7 out of 100 among women not taking oral contraception. the pill. “This shows that only a small number of people will be subject to this side effect”, underlines Monique Tello, author of the article. But this does not mean that the risk is zero. According to her, it is important that patients in or informed, as is the case in particular for the risk of stroke.
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