A new study shows that consuming birth control pills can increase the chances of suffering from depression.
Women who take the combined pill treatment — the most common form of birth control — could be more susceptible to being afflicted with disturbing emotional and psychological side effects, according to research conducted by the University of Copenhagen.
The study examined 1 million Danish women over a period of 13 years between the ages of 15 and 34. Teens are more likely to suffer from depression due to the fact that they consume the medication to prevent contraception more than any other demographic.
Those who took the oral contraceptive were 23% more likely to be depressed, while those who take the “mini-pill” are 34% more likely to suffer from the condition.
The teenage girls that took the drug to prevent pregnancy had an 80% higher chance of being depressed, and this number doubled for the progestin-only pill.
Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are recommended by the NHS and touted as being less harmful, but research shows that this product can be just as harmful as birth control pills and there is no substantial research to back claims that its side effects are not as severe.
There are other alternatives to birth control pills, including the ring and the patch, which can cause different problems including an increased chance of blood clots forming.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
