Women Beware: Birth Control Pills Linked to Thinning Brain Regions! The Startling Truth Unveiled

Forget alcohol or drugs, birth control pills could lower your inhibitions.

A recent study conducted in Canada concluded that using contraceptives daily could influence specific brain regions related to “decision-making and impulse control.”

The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology on Tuesday, explore the impact of oral contraceptives, taken by about two-thirds of American women aged 15 to 49, on the brain.

The researchers from Montreal focused on understanding how naturally and synthetically produced hormones affect fear processing.

Alexandra Brouillard, the study author from Université du Québec à Montréal, highlighted that while women are informed about physical side effects like menstrual cycle suppression and ovulation prevention, the pill’s impact on brain development remains underexplored.

The study enlisted 139 women (ages 23 to 35) currently using oral contraceptives, those who had stopped, or those who never used hormonal birth control, alongside 41 men.

The research uncovered that women on birth control displayed a “thinner ventromedial prefrontal cortex,” responsible for regulating emotions and reducing fear signals in safe situations, according to Brouillard. This thinning may imply impaired emotional regulation.

Interestingly, the thinning seems reversible upon stopping pill consumption, as former users did not exhibit the same results. The researchers stress the need for further investigation to confirm these findings and address lingering questions.

“The objective of our work is not to counter the use of [combined oral contraceptives], but it is important to be aware that the pill can affect the brain. We aim to increase scientific interest in women’s health and raise awareness about early prescription of COCs and brain development, a highly unknown topic,” said Brouillard.

Previous research has hinted at an increased risk of depression for women starting contraception in their teens, and some individuals reported shifts in partner preferences and attraction after discontinuing the pill. via iHarare