--- title: Is continuous birth control pill dosing better than intermittent dosing for premenstrual dysphoria? description: No. All three groups (placebo, intermittent pills, and continuous pills) improved similarly over 3 months, with no unique advantage shown for continuous dosin url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/treatment-of-premenstrual-dysphoria-with-continuous-versus-intermittent-dosing-2017/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is continuous birth control pill dosing better than intermittent dosing for premenstrual dysphoria? Randomised trial, 2017 # Is continuous birth control pill dosing better than intermittent dosing for premenstrual dysphoria? No. All three groups (placebo, intermittent pills, and continuous pills) improved similarly over 3 months, with no unique advantage shown for continuous dosing. Moderate study design 55 women with confirmed premenstrual dysphoria ## What they did 55 women with confirmed premenstrual dysphoria were randomly assigned to three groups for 3 months: 22 received placebo, 17 received drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol on a 21-7 schedule (21 days active pills, 7 days inactive), and 16 received continuous drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol. After a baseline assessment month, women in the medication groups completed the pill regimen for 3 months. ## What they found All three groups showed similar, substantial reductions in premenstrual symptoms over time. The placebo group improved as much as the medication groups, showing a strong placebo response. ## What it means for you Continuous birth control pills do not appear more effective than intermittent dosing for premenstrual dysphoria. The strong placebo effect suggests that women's expectations and belief in treatment play a major role. A larger study would help clarify these findings. 55 women with premenstrual dysphoria 3 months of treatment 22/17/16 women in placebo/intermittent/continuous groups ## About the study Original title Treatment of premenstrual dysphoria with continuous versus intermittent dosing of oral contraceptives: Results of a three-arm randomized controlled trial Authors Eisenlohr-Moul TA, Girdler SS, Johnson JL et al. Journal Depression and anxiety Year 2017 Study design Randomised trial Participants 22 What was tested Continuous drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol vs intermittent (21-7 schedule) vs placebo for 3 months Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/da.22673](https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22673) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[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. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2024 What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS? Review, 2024 What are the most effective treatments for PMDD? Systematic review, 2023 How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes? Guideline, 2023 How are GnRH agonists used to treat PMDD that doesn't respond to standard medications? Systematic review, 2022 What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS? Systematic review, 2021 Do birth control pills help with depression and other symptoms of PMS? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗