Birth Control Makes Recovering From Stress Harder, Study Finds

Birth control pills offer significant benefits for women's health, but that doesn't mean they're perfect. Some have potential side effects related to mood and quality of life.

A new study published in Behavioural Brain Research found that oral birth control pills seem to negatively impact the body's ability to regulate stress1. 

To gauge the women's "stress resilience," researchers measured their levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) during a stressful event. ACTH can signal changes in stress levels more quickly than changes in the better-known stress hormone cortisol. 

"Stress resilience is your natural inborn ability to bounce back from the anxiety response," explains licensed marriage and family therapist at Moment of Clarity Mental Health Center Jeff Yoo, LMFT. "Stress resilience is as natural as the stress response," he adds, noting that everyone will get out of fight-or-flight mode eventually, and the quicker this happens, the better.

For this study, researchers took blood from the women (which provided a stressful environment) and then measured their ACTH levels right after the prick. Then, participants took part in group activities like board games, singing together, group conversation, etc., for 15 minutes. This was meant to encourage a release of anxiety—as social interaction is one of the most effective ways to decrease stress levels2. 

Interestingly, even within the group of women not on birth control, ACTH measurements demonstrated better stress recovery while in the menstrual and secretory (also known as the luteal) phases than the proliferative (follicular) phase.

While the experiment measured stress levels from a somewhat rudimentary situation like a blood draw, these findings are essential to keep in mind when assessing female stress responses in daily life and traumatic situations. 

The average follicular phase lasts an average of 14 days in a 28-day cycle—meaning about half of the time, women are biologically more likely to struggle to recover from stress, even if they are not on the birth control pill. For those on birth control, the predisposition to poor stress regulation occurs during all cycle phases. 

Finally, remember that while many birth control methods aren't perfect, you have options. "If experiencing heightened stress while on birth control, don't hesitate to discuss concerns with health care providers. They can offer guidance and explore alternative contraceptive options," Toubi notes.