Depression and stress can cause lapses in proper use of contraception, a
new study suggests.
In the study, women with moderate to severe depression and stress symptoms were less likely to use contraception
consistently — that is, use it each time they had sex — compared to women with
mild or no symptoms. Women with depression or stress were also more likely to
say they did not use contraception at all in the past week compared to women
with less severe symptoms.
The findings, presented here yesterday (Oct. 29) at the annual meeting
of the America Public Health Association, are concerning because, although
preventing unplanned pregnancies is important for all women, it may be especially important for
women with mental health issues, said study researcher Kelli Stidham Hall. "Perhaps
an unintended pregnancy for these women could make things even worse,"
said Hall, of the University of Michigan's Population Studies Center. Family
planning providers should consider mental health symptoms when they council
their patients, Hall said.
Best method?
In addition, women with depression and stress who do not want to become
pregnant in the near future may be good candidates for long-acting reversible contraception, such as an IUD — highly effective methods of
birth control that women do not need to remember to use everyday or each time
they have sex, which may be burdensome for some, Hall said. Hall and colleagues
analyzed information 689 non-pregnant women ages 18 and 19 living in Michigan.
Participants first answered questions about their mental health. Then, for the
next year, they filled out weekly journal entries that included the number of
times they had sex in the past week, and whether they used contraception when
they had sex.
About 25 percent of women had moderate to severe depression, and 25
percent had moderate to severe stress. Overall, women used contraception
consistently 72 percent of the time. The most common forms of contraception
were oral birth control or condoms. For women with depression, the odds of
using contraception consistently each week was 47 percent lower than for women
with less severe symptoms. For those with stress, the odds of using
contraception consistently were 69 percent lower. Women with depression and
stress may have social circumstances, such as unemployment, that interfere with
their ability to effectively use contraception, Hall said. In addition, mental
health issues may impair a person's ability to make decisions, Hall said.
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