---
title: Does birth control pill use improve or worsen premenstrual mood?
description: The pill doesn't affect mood in most women. Mood is most likely to worsen in women with a history of depression, and most likely to improve in women with earl
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/impact-of-oral-contraceptive-pill-use-on-premenstrual-mood-predictors-of-2003/
---

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- Does birth control pill use improve or worsen premenstrual mood?

Case-control study, 2003

# Does birth control pill use improve or worsen premenstrual mood?

The pill doesn't affect mood in most women. Mood is most likely to worsen in women with a history of depression, and most likely to improve in women with early-onset premenstrual symptoms or painful periods.

 Moderate study design

976 premenopausal women in Massachusetts

## What they did

Studied 976 premenopausal women in Massachusetts. Compared those taking birth control pills with those not taking them to see who experienced mood changes.

## What they found

Of 658 women using birth control pills, 16.3 percent reported mood deterioration and 12.3 percent reported improvement. Previous depression was the only significant predictor of mood worsening, with 2-fold increased odds. Early-onset premenstrual mood disturbance and painful periods predicted improvement, with 3.1 and 2.3-fold increased odds respectively.

## What it means for you

Birth control pills affect mood in only a minority of women. If you have a history of depression, you're more likely to worsen. If you had early premenstrual symptoms or period pain, you're more likely to improve. Study is limited to women in Massachusetts.

16.3%

mood deterioration on pills

12.3%

mood improvement on pills

2.0

odds ratio for worsening with depression

## About the study

Original title Impact of oral contraceptive pill use on premenstrual mood: predictors of improvement and deterioration Authors Joffe H, Cohen LS, Harlow BL Journal American journal of obstetrics and gynecology Year 2003 Study design Case-control study Participants 976 What was tested Oral contraceptive pills Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(03)00927-x](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(03)00927-x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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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