---
title: Does this birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes, in women with severe premenstrual mood symptoms, this birth control pill improved negative mood, positive mood, swelling, and effect on daily life. Women
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mood-and-physical-symptoms-improve-in-women-with-severe-cyclical-changes-by-2013/
---

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- Does this birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms?

Cohort study, 2013

# Does this birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms?

Yes, in women with severe premenstrual mood symptoms, this birth control pill improved negative mood, positive mood, swelling, and effect on daily life. Women with no, mild, or moderate symptoms did not benefit.

 Early or limited evidence

24 women using combined birth control, specifically those with severe premenstrual symptoms

## What they did

Open-label prospective study of 24 women taking a combined birth control pill with norgestimate 250 mcg and ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg in a 21/7 regimen for 3 cycles. Women rated symptoms daily using the Cyclicity Diagnoser scale.

## What they found

Women with severe premenstrual mood symptoms showed significant improvement in negative mood, positive mood, swelling, and effect on daily life after 3 cycles. Women with no, mild, or moderate premenstrual symptoms showed no significant improvement or deterioration in any symptom.

## What it means for you

This birth control pill helps women with severe PMS, particularly those with severe mood symptoms. The benefit is specific to women with severe baseline symptoms. The main limitation is the lack of a control group and small sample size.

24

women treated

250 mcg

norgestimate dose

35 mcg

ethinyl estradiol dose

## About the study

Original title Mood and physical symptoms improve in women with severe cyclical changes by taking an oral contraceptive containing 250-mcg norgestimate and 35-mcg ethinyl estradiol Authors Nyberg S Journal Contraception Year 2013 Study design Cohort study Participants 24 What was tested Norgestimate 250 mcg plus ethinyl estradiol 35 mcg in 21/7 regimen for 3 cycles Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2012.09.024](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2012.09.024)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[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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