Is there an association between the use of oral contraception and depressive symptoms in young Australian women?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use and the experience of depressive symptoms among a representative sample of young Australian women.


METHODS
The study sample comes from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Analysis was confined to women in the youngest cohort who responded to Survey 2, which was conducted in 2000 (n=9688) when they were aged between 22 and 27 years, and to Survey 3, which was conducted in 2003 (n=9081) when they were aged between 25 and 30 years.


RESULTS
After adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of a nonuser experiencing depressive symptoms is not significantly different from that of an OCP user [odds ratio=1.05; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=0.90-1.21]. Women who used OCP for reasons other than contraception were 1.32 (95% CI=1.07-1.62) times as likely to be depressed than women who used OCP for contraception. The percentage of women who reported experiencing depressive symptoms declined as the number of years of OCP use increased (p=.009).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that, after adjusting for confounders, there is no independent effect of OCP use on depressive symptoms in young Australian women.
Duke
Janine M
JM
Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia.
Sibbritt
David W
DW
Young
Anne F
AF
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011594:Psychometrics; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral