title: University students' subjective experiences of oral contraceptive use.
abstract: A substantial proportion of women who commence oral contraceptive discontinue usage due to unwanted side-effects. In investigations of side-effects in current users, such women are excluded, and hence such studies will tend to underestimate the prevalence of side-effects. One hundred and forty-five female university students (both former and current users) completed a questionnaire focusing on their experiences of the impact of oral contraceptives upon their psychological and physical well-being. Although, on average, over half the women reported no effect, the vast majority of those who did report a change in well-being deemed this to be negative. The only exception was pelvic pain which was reported to be improved by oral contraceptive use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Repatriation General Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Condon
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Need
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fitzsimmons
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral