Inrecentyearsagroundbreakingnewstudyhasbeenreleasedintotheeffectsofthecontraceptivepill.ResearchfromDenmarkclaimedwomenonthepillandotherformsofhormonalcontraceptionwere70%morelikelytobediagnosedwithdepressionthanthosewhowerenot.Andanotherstudyhasfoundhormonalcontraceptionwaslinkedtoaseeminglydramaticriskofbreastcancer.
Negativeheadlinesarenothingnewforthecontraceptivepill-firstintroducedin1961,ithashadachequeredhistorywithearlyversionslinkedtocancerriskandlife-threateningbloodclots.YethormonalcontraceptionremainsBritain'smostpopularformofbirthcontrol,andtodayoverthreemillionwomentakeregulardosesofsynthetichormones.Soshouldtheybeworriedaboutitssafety?
GPDrZoeWilliamsgetsbehindtheheadlinesinthisHorizoninvestigation.Aspeciallycommissioned,nationwidesurveyrevealstheareasofmostconcerntoBritishwomen-frommentalhealthtotheriskofcanceranddropinlibido.Withthehelpofworldleadingscientists,ZoefindsoutiftheseconcernsarejustifiedandbydelvingdeepintothesciencearoundthepillssideeffectsHorizonuncoverssomestrikingrevelations-fromprotectingwomenagainstcancertoincreasingtheirriskofsuicide.
