Does the Birth Control Pill have a long term effect on womens' mindset?

[synch]

I gather that one of the drugs often used in the Pill is an estrogen with an added ethinyl group. From memory, drugs with ethinyl groups were typically designed to attach/react chemically to the receptor, as opposed to the usual simple reversible binding. Does that mean that over a decade or so of taking it, there is an accumulative effect ? Presumably the molecule crosses the blood-brain barrier .

 

[sbrothy]

What specific pill are you talking about?

Also I think most drugs taken orally has to pass the BBB.

 

[sbrothy]

I mean is it *the* pill or the morning after one?

 

[synch]

I mean is it *the* pill or the morning after one?

Yes , the regular contraceptive pill

 

[sbrothy]

I haven't read the actual paper but for once, even though it's Researchgate, it doesn't seem to be behind a paywall (EDIT: or maybe it is):

The Chemistry of the Pill

 

[PiscesLady]

As someone who took The Pill (a couple different formulas) for almost four decades, I can assure you that any long-term physical effect of the medicine on my "mindset" was vastly less important than my continued awareness that I would not become pregnant unless I wanted to. Feeling this quiet confidence was a fantastic mindset, thanks for asking.

 

[QuarkyMeson]

There are two separate questions:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacokinetics_of_estradiol

This covers the pharmacokinetics. The compound is metabolized and eliminated like any drug, reaching approximately steady-state concentrations with repeated dosing. If this wasn't the case then one pill would basically sterilize a women, and while effective at birth control, is not why most use the pill.

The other question:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301211526002113

Here is a meta analysis that looked at studies focused on depression in women who were users versus non users.

Evidence from this meta-analysis suggests oral contraceptive use is associated with increased risks of depression diagnoses, antidepressant initiation, and higher depressive symptom scores. The findings, which reflect the association between hormonal oral contraceptives and depression in women without pre-existing psychological or gynaecological conditions, suggest that adverse effects on mood should be closely monitored by contraception prescribers.

So the answer is, sure, they can negatively affect the mental health of users. This has to be weighed against other forms of non-hormonal contraception to make an informed choice.

 

[QuarkyMeson]

What specific pill are you talking about?

Also I think most drugs taken orally has to pass the BBB.

An oral drug is absorbed through your mucosa -> mostly small intestine -> travel via portal vein to liver -> where they undergo first pass metabolism and go systematic. They don't have to cross the blood brain barrier at all, and many don't.

A random fun fact, you have a sort of similar thing going on in your shoulder capsule. The Synovial membrane functions similarly for the Synovial fluid that cushions your joints.

 

[sbrothy]

An oral drug is absorbed through your mucosa -> mostly small intestine -> travel via portal vein to liver -> where they undergo first pass metabolism and go systematic. They don't have to cross the blood brain barrier at all, and many don't.

A random fun fact, you have a sort of similar thing going on in your shoulder capsule. The Synovial membrane functions similarly for the Synovial fluid that cushions your joints.

View attachment 375036

I really thought anything taken orally had to pass the BBB. Oh well, I learn something everyday here.