A neuroscientist explains how hormonal contraceptives work − and how stress may increase or decrease depression risk while on them. More than 85% of women – and more than 300 million people worldwide at any given time – use hormonal contraceptives for at least five years of their lives. Although primarily taken for birth control, hormonal contraceptives are also used by many people to manage a variety of symptoms related to menstruation , from cramps and acne to mood swings.
For up to 10% of women, however, hormone contraceptives can increase their risk of depression. Hormones, including oestrogen and progesterone, are crucial for brain health. So, how does modifying hormone levels with contraceptives affect mental health? I am a researcher studying the neuroscience of stress and emotion-related processes.
I also study sex differences in vulnerability and resilience to mental health disorders. Understanding how hormone contraceptives affect mood can help researchers predict who will experience positive or negative effects. How do hormone contraceptives work? In the United States and other Western countries, the most common form of hormonal contraceptive is “the pill” – a combination of synthetic oestrogen and synthetic progesterone, two hormones involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle, ovulation and pregnancy.
Oestrogen co-ordinates the timed release of other hormones, and progesterone maintains a pregnancy. This may seem counterintuitive – why do natu.