Oral Contraceptive Use and Affective Changes Across the Menstral Cycle

As of 1988, 10.7 million women were using oral contraceptives for contraception Oral contraceptives manipulate the normal cyclical endogenous female hormone profile. There are several side effects that may occur with the use of oral contraceptives. These side effects are an interplay of type of hormonal preparation, dose of hormone(s), female physiology, and the unique biologic makeup of each woman. A myriad of possible physical effects is well- known and documented. Effects on mood (affect) are not as well addressed and tend to focus more heavily on negative states. Healthcare providers must obtain informed consent from a woman before prescribing OCs. A woman has the right to be provided with all information available about any effects she may experience as a result of her choice to use ocs. We as healthcare providers have the obligation to exhaustively seek out all possible effects of the medications we prescribe. Only then can we empower our clients to make truly informed contraceptive decision-making.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH is the author of 'Oral Contraceptive Use and Affective Changes Across the Menstral Cycle', published 1998 under ISBN 9781423560722 and ISBN 1423560728.