Beyond Birth Control: An Exploratory Study on Hormonal Contraception, Stress, and Traumatic Memory

This exploratory study investigated the impact of two common forms of hormonal contraception—the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) and the hormonal intrauterine device (IUD)—on stress reactivity and potential vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Following a modified Trier Social Stress Test, individual stress reactivity was measured via heart rate (HR) and subjective stress (SS), and PTSD vulnerability was assessed through the development of intrusive memories over time in a final cohort of 20 women. The results indicated significantly different heart rate paths of change between the groups, suggesting the type of hormonal contraception may alter the physiological response to immediate stress. However, there were no significant differences found in paths of subjective stress or the frequency of intrusive memories. Furthermore, the hypothesis that individual stress reactivity might mediate the relationship between contraception type and intrusions...Show moreThis exploratory study investigated the impact of two common forms of hormonal contraception—the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) and the hormonal intrauterine device (IUD)—on stress reactivity and potential vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Following a modified Trier Social Stress Test, individual stress reactivity was measured via heart rate (HR) and subjective stress (SS), and PTSD vulnerability was assessed through the development of intrusive memories over time in a final cohort of 20 women. The results indicated significantly different heart rate paths of change between the groups, suggesting the type of hormonal contraception may alter the physiological response to immediate stress. However, there were no significant differences found in paths of subjective stress or the frequency of intrusive memories. Furthermore, the hypothesis that individual stress reactivity might mediate the relationship between contraception type and intrusions was not supported, as stress reactivity did not predict intrusive memory formation. Consequently, the findings suggest that while hormonal contraception type may influence physiological stress response, this difference does not seem to translate into a significant difference in the development of intrusions, a measure of PTSD vulnerability.Show less

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Beyond Birth Control: An Exploratory Study on Hormonal Contraception, Stress, and Traumatic Memory