A study released the beginning of December said women on birth control pills have a 6% smaller hypothalamus than women who are not taking the pill. This was described as a “dramatic difference”.

The study was small (50 women, 21 of whom were taking a combination pill that contains both estrogen and progestin). More studies will be needed to confirm this and prove causation. However, this is not the first study that finds the pill changes a woman’s brain and hormones. 

Previous studies have found the pill causes hormonal changes that reduce sex drive. Other studies have found women taking the pill have differences in their hippocampus, fusiform gyrus, cerebellum, prefrontal cortex, and the amygdala. This study mentions that a smaller hypothalamus has been shown to cause increased anger and symptoms of depression. 

The pill is an easy, convenient, and very effective form of birth control. However, it is not without side effects. Research on this has been slow, so there is likely more we don’t know. What you do with this information is up to you, but do be aware there are unanswered questions about the pill.

~ Paul – I’m XY, and I’m glad Lori was on the pill for less than a year.

Resource: Study finds key brain region smaller in birth control pill users | ScienceDaily

Image by Anqa from Pixabay
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