Can the Morning After Pill Cause Depression?

May 22, 2018 Emergency Contraception

Can the Morning After Pill Cause Depression?

If you have recently taken emergency contraception and noticed a shift in your mood, you are not alone. While most people focus on physical side effects like nausea or headaches, many women express concerns about the emotional impact of the morning after pill.

Can the morning-after pill cause depression? The short answer is yes, it is possible to experience mood changes, including feeling low or depressed, after taking emergency contraception. It is important to recognise these concerns as valid. For most people, these feelings are temporary and resolve as your hormones balance out, but it is essential to monitor how you feel.

Understanding why mood shifts happen and knowing when to seek support can help you navigate this time with less anxiety.

How does the Morning After Pill Work?

Emergency contraception works by using hormones to prevent or delay ovulation (the release of an egg). Because hormones are chemical messengers that also influence brain chemistry, some people may experience emotional side effects.

Why Hormones Can Affect Mood

Both types of the morning-after pill, Levonelle (levonorgestrel) and EllaOne (ulipristal acetate), contain hormones. Levonorgestrel is a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. A sudden, high dose of these hormones can temporarily affect the neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate mood. This can lead to irritability, tearfulness, or a flat feeling.

How Long Mood Changes May Last

For the majority of people, these mood shifts are short-term. As the medication leaves your system and your natural hormonal cycle resets, these feelings usually dissipate within a few days or by the time your next period arrives.

Anxiety and Situational Stress

It is also important to recognise that the situation surrounding the need for emergency contraception can be highly stressful. Anxiety about a potential unplanned pregnancy or the circumstances of the unprotected sex can contribute to a low mood. It is not always just the pill itself, as the emotional weight of the experience plays a significant role.

How the Morning After Pill Works

It is a common misconception that the morning after pill works exactly like the daily contraceptive pill. While both use hormones to prevent pregnancy, their application and mechanism differ.

The daily pill is designed to maintain a steady level of hormones to prevent ovulation consistently. In contrast, the morning-after pill is a single, concentrated dose designed to delay ovulation if it has not happened yet.

• Levonelle is effective when taken within a maximum of 72 hours (3 days) following unprotected intercourse.
• EllaOne can be used up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex and is understood to retain greater effectiveness the closer it is taken to the time of ovulation.

If you need access to emergency contraception such as Levonelle or EllaOne, our pharmacist at Simply Meds Online can help. All orders, including emergency prescriptions and NHS prescriptions, are sent out quickly and in discreet packaging to the address of your choosing.

Note that neither of these morning after pills is an abortion pill. They work by preventing pregnancy from starting, not by ending an existing one. If you are already pregnant, the morning-after pill will not work, nor will it harm the developing pregnancy.

Side Effects: What is Normal?

Most people take emergency contraception without any major or long-lasting side effects. However, because of the hormonal shift, you may experience:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness and fatigue
• Headaches
• Breast tenderness
• Changes to your next period (it may be earlier, later, or more painful than usual)

While low mood is listed as a potential side effect for some, it is less common than physical symptoms.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While feeling off for a couple of days can be a normal response to high-dose hormones, you should not suffer in silence if your mental health does not improve.

You should contact a GP or mental health professional if:

• Your feelings of depression or anxiety last longer than a week or two.
• Your mood is preventing you from carrying out daily tasks.
• The feelings of low mood persist even after your next period has finished.
• You have a history of clinical depression and notice a significant relapse in symptoms.

Who to Contact for Support

If you are struggling, please reach out to one of the following resources:

• Your GP: For a medical review of your symptoms and history.
• The Samaritans: Call 116 123 anytime for free, confidential emotional support.
• Mind: For information and support regarding various types of mental health problems.
• Sexual Health Clinics: For advice on long-term contraception.

Finding a Long-Term Contraception Solution

If you find that the morning-after pill affects your mood significantly, it may be a sign that your body is sensitive to certain synthetic hormones. This is helpful information for your doctor when discussing long-term contraception, such as the non-hormonal copper coil (IUD) or specific brands of the daily pill.