Randomised trial, 2017
Does adding birth control to antidepressants help depression that worsens before your period?
Adding drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol to antidepressants did not significantly improve premenstrual depression better than placebo in this small study. Both groups improved similarly.
What they did
Women with depression stable on antidepressants but experiencing 30% symptom worsening before their period were randomly assigned to add either a specific birth control pill (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) or placebo to their existing treatment. They took their assigned pill daily for 2 months and reported symptoms using depression scales tied to their menstrual cycle.
What they found
Of 32 women who started, 25 completed the study (12 on pill, 13 on placebo). Premenstrual depression scores fell 43.6% with the pill versus 38.9% with placebo (not statistically significant, p=0.59). A trend suggested women with fewer lifetime depressive episodes might benefit more.
What it means for you
This birth control pill added to antidepressants does not specifically help premenstrual depression beyond placebo. The study was very small with only 25 women and lasted just 2 months. Future research should test this approach in women confirmed to be hormone-sensitive.
25
women completed study
2 months
treatment duration
43.6%
depression improvement on pill
About the study
- Original title
- Treatment of Premenstrual Breakthrough of Depression With Adjunctive Oral Contraceptive Pills Compared With Placebo
- Authors
- Peters W, Freeman MP, Kim S et al.
- Journal
- Journal of clinical psychopharmacology
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 13
- What was tested
- Drospirenone 3 mg/ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg added to antidepressants
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/jcp.0000000000000761
Topics
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