---
title: Can a specific birth control pill help with PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes. In this study, 80% of women taking a pill containing drospirenone and ethinylestradiol reported improvement, and 75% said they were satisfied with the tr
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-an-oral-contraceptive-containing-drospirenone-and-ethinylestradiol-on-2003/
---

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- Can a specific birth control pill help with PMS symptoms?

Study, 2003

# Can a specific birth control pill help with PMS symptoms?

Yes. In this study, 80% of women taking a pill containing drospirenone and ethinylestradiol reported improvement, and 75% said they were satisfied with the treatment.

 Moderate study design

336 women with psychological, behavioral, and physical premenstrual symptoms

## What they did

336 women with PMS symptoms took an oral contraceptive containing 3 mg drospirenone and 30 micrograms ethinylestradiol (Yasmin) for six 28-day cycles. Researchers measured mood, physical symptoms like bloating and breast tenderness, and body weight.

## What they found

Mood improved by cycle 3 and stayed improved at cycle 6. There was a clear reduction in bloating and breast tension. 80% of the women improved on treatment. 75% of women said they were satisfied. Body weight stayed the same or decreased slightly. The pill provided good cycle control.

## What it means for you

This pill appears to help with PMS symptoms including mood and bloating. However, this study had no comparison group (no women received a placebo), so some improvement might be from expecting to feel better rather than from the pill itself. A larger study comparing this pill to a placebo would give stronger evidence.

336

Women enrolled

80%

Reported improvement on treatment

75%

Satisfied with treatment

## About the study

Original title Effect of an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinylestradiol on general well-being and fluid-related symptoms Authors Apter D, Borsos A, Baumgärtner W et al. Journal The European journal of contraception & reproductive health care : the official journal of the European Society of Contraception Year 2003 Study design Study Participants 336 What was tested Drospirenone 3 mg and ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms oral contraceptive (Yasmin) for six 28-day cycles Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/ejc.8.1.37.51](https://doi.org/10.1080/ejc.8.1.37.51)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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