BJP Email content delivery - eTOCs !
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

The British Journal of Psychiatry (1970) 116: 161-164. doi: 10.1192/bjp.116.531.161
© 1970 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by HERZBERG, B.
Right arrow Articles by COPPEN, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by HERZBERG, B.
Right arrow Articles by COPPEN, A.

Changes in Psychological Symptoms in Women Taking Oral Contraceptives

BRENDA HERZBERG M.B., M.R.C.P., D.P.M.1 and ALEC COPPEN M.D., D.P.M.2

1 Brunner Fellow, Mental Health Research Fund, Area Laboratory, West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
2 M.R.C. Neuropsychiatric Research Unit, Carshalton and West Park Hospital, Epsom

Oestrogens have been used for some years to treat dysmenorrhoea (Lyon, R. A., 1942; Sturgis, S. H., 1943). Our results agree with other authors (Nilsson and Sölvell) that the Pill relieves dysmenorrhoea in the majority of cases.

In our series there was marked diminution of premenstrual depression and irritability, although premenstrual headaches and swelling were not altered. The difference in the response of these two sets of symptoms suggests that the psychological and somatic components of the premenstrual syndrome may be produced by different mechanisms.

Support for this view comes from a recent double blind trial of norethisterone and diuretic in the premenstrual syndrome (Coppen et al., 1969). This reported that the psychological symptoms were relieved by a diuretic, but not by norethisterone, which, however, improved premenstrual swelling.

A certain number of women developed psychological side effects, including depression. The numbers are too small, at this stage, to say whether this is a statistically significant effect, but a 5 to 10 per cent. incidence of depression is of importance when the very great number of women taking the Pill is considered.

The women who developed depression and irritability as side effects had higher Neuroticism and Extraversion scores than the Pill group as a whole, and they also had an increased incidence of moderate or severe premenstrual depression before starting the Pill.

In conclusion, we have demonstrated that dysmenorrhoea and certain premenstrual symptoms are relieved by the Pill, and that it produces certain side effects in a small percentage of women.

Submitted on June 4, 1968




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Am. Coll. Nutr.Home page
C. Merete, L. M. Falcon, and K. L. Tucker
Vitamin B6 Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders
J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June 1, 2008; 27(3): 421 - 427.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1970 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.