Miguel Ángel Jiménez, gynecologist: "Contraceptives can cause certain mood disorders in patients."

Gynecologist Miguel Ángel Jiménez has issued an important warning to many women who use hormonal contraceptives. In a video posted on the TikTok profile of the Catalan clinic 'Dona i Nen,' the specialist explained how this type of treatment can directly affect patients' emotional state.

"Hormonal contraceptives can cause certain mood disturbances in patients," says Jiménez. Although not all women experience the same effects, some do notice significant changes in their mood after starting these methods. According to the specialist, in some cases, what he calls a pseudo-depressive state occurs, which can go unnoticed if the link to the treatment is not identified.

The expert points out that this type of alteration is more common with combined contraceptives , those that contain both estrogen and progesterone . These are the most commonly used currently , but also the ones that can cause the most adverse reactions in this regard. "This is more common when we use combined contraceptives, which are the most common on the market," he clarifies.

Many women who come in for consultations report that their mood fluctuates , that they feel sadder or emotionally unstable , and they don't always relate these changes to the contraceptive they're taking . "Some patients report that they don't feel well, that their mood fluctuates a lot while taking contraceptives," Jiménez says in the video.

Given this situation, the specialist proposes progestogen-only contraceptives, known as continuous progestogens, as an alternative. This type of hormonal treatment, he explains, is usually more tolerable for women who have already suffered from mood disorders or who have greater hormonal sensitivity . "We can try progestogen-only contraceptives. These usually produce fewer mood disorders in the patient and, therefore, would be the most appropriate for those who may have already had, or actively have, depression ," he explains.

Despite this, she also acknowledges that there are women who cannot tolerate any type of hormonal treatment, regardless of its composition. In these cases, the impact on mood can be so significant that the best option would be to discontinue hormones and consider other contraceptive methods . "There will be patients for whom any hormonal treatment given significantly affects their mood and, therefore, would be contraindicated," she warns.

The key, according to Jiménez, lies in individualized adaptation and follow-up . There is no universal formula that works for all patients, so the process may require several attempts until the most appropriate option is found. "Often it's a matter of trying, stopping, or continuing to modify until the patient finds what feels most comfortable," she says.