Development and remission of depressive symptoms and treatment with hormonal contraceptives

We present two cases of female patients with a history of depression who developed depressive symptoms after treatment with hormonal contraceptives (HC) in the form of combined oral contraceptive pill, progestin-only pill and combined contraceptive vaginal ring. The presented two cases are based on the women's medical records complemented by personal interviews. The existing literature on the effects of HC on depression is inconclusive. Patient-based decisions with consideration of the individual history and predispositions are recommended when starting oral contraceptives. If depressive symptoms occur, decisions regarding discontinuation need to be made on an individual basis.