The Most Common Side Effects, Concerns and Discontinuation Patterns of Oral Contraceptive Pills Among Polish Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
-
Natalia Karpowicz
,
Katarzyna Mączka
,
Adrian Skoczylas
,
Natalia Pacocha
,
Michał Kunicki
,
Monika Grymowicz
,
Roman Smolarczyk
Abstract
Objective: Over the decade, variety and effectiveness of contraception methods have greatly improved, resulting in increased popularity of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs). However, hormonal contraception carries the risk of multiple side effects. The lack of sufficient knowledge often leads to the development of health concerns, which can affect patient’s adherence. The aim of our research was to describe a side effect profile of OCPs and assess the most frequent concerns and discontinuation reasons in Polish women. The survey included questions regarding OCPs utilization patterns, side effects, health concerns and attitudes of the responders.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was based on a survey, which was distributed online and open from 29 April to 15 May 2022. The survey included questions regarding OCPs utilization patterns, side effects, health concerns and attitudes of the responders.
Results: Out of 1699 respondents, the current OCPs intake was reported by two thirds of women and 22% had a history of using them in the past. Seventy-nine percent of all OCPs users experienced adverse effects while 9% reported having concerns about safety and potential adverse effects. Decreased libido and weight gain were the most significant reasons for ceasing hormonal contraception. Moreover, the most common concerns and the most unfavorable side effects varied in different age groups. The occurrence of anxiety depended on age and education.
Conclusion: Healthcare professionals prescribing OCPs should provide their patients with comprehensive counseling. Understanding and addressing concerns of young women can improve their compliance and reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.
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16. Izdebski Z, Wąż K, Warzecha D, Mazur J, Wielgoś M. Factors Associated with Uptake of Effective and Ineffective Contraceptives among Polish Women during the First Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):12748.
17. Le Guen M, Schantz C, Régnier-Loilier A, de La Rochebrochard E. Reasons for rejecting hormonal contraception in Western countries: A systematic review. Soc Sci Med. 2021;284:114247.
18. Sedlander E, Bingenheimer JB, Thiongo M, Gichangi P, Rimal RN, Edberg M, et al. "They Destroy the Reproductive System": Exploring the Belief that Modern Contraceptive Use Causes Infertility. Stud Fam
Plann. 2018;49(4):345-365.
19. Hindin MJ, McGough LJ, Adanu RM. Misperceptions, misinformation and myths about modern contraceptive use in Ghana. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2014;40(1):30-5.
20. Olszewski J, Olszewska H, Abacjew-Chmylko A, Chmylko L, Gaworska-Krzeminska A, Wydra D. Sexual behavior and contraception among young Polish women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010;89(11):1447-52.
21. Bardaweel SK, Akour AA, Kilani MV. Current knowledge, attitude, and patterns of oral contraceptives utilization among women in Jordan. BMC Womens Health. 2015;15:117.
22. Lewis CA, Kimmig AS, Zsido RG, Jank A, Derntl B, Sacher J. Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives on Mood: A Focus on Emotion Recognition and Reactivity, Reward Processing, and Stress Response. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(11):115.
23. Slater AM, Estrada F, Suarez-Lopez L, de la Vara-Salazar E, Campero L. Overall user satisfaction with family planning services and associated quality care factors: a cross-sectional analysis. Reproductive health. 2018;15:1-8.
24. Reed S, Koro C, DiBello J, Becker K, Bauerfeind A, Franke C, et al. Prospective controlled cohort study on the safety of a monophasic oral contraceptive containing nomegestrol acetate (2.5mg) and 17β-oestradiol (1.5mg) (PRO-E2 study): risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2021;26(6):439-446.
25. Bińkowska M, Jakimiuk A, Paszkowski T, Pawelczyk L, Skrzypulec-Plinta V. Risk of venous thromboembolism during the use of oral estrogen-progestogen hormone therapies in light of most recent research findings. Prz Menopauzalny. 2022;21(3):197-199.
26. Lee A, Syed YY. Estetrol/Drospirenone: A Review in Oral Contraception. Drugs. 2022;82(10):1117-1125.
27. Borzyszkowska D, Niedzielska M, Kozłowski M, Brodowska A, Przepiera A, Malczyk-Matysiak K, et al. Evaluation of Hormonal Factors in Acne Vulgaris and the Course of Acne Vulgaris Treatment with Contraceptive-Based Therapies in Young Adult Women. Cells. 2022;11(24):4078.
28. Bianchini F, Verde P, Colangeli S, Boccia M, Strollo F, Guariglia C, et al. Effects of oral contraceptives and natural menstrual cycling on environmental learning. BMC Womens Health. 2018;18(1):179.
29. World Health Organization. Ensuring human rights in the provision of contraceptive information and services: guidance and recommendations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK195054/, 2014.
2. Teal S, Edelman A. Contraception Selection, Effectiveness, and Adverse Effects: A Review. JAMA. 2021;326(24):2507-2518.
3. Saldanha N. Use of Short Acting Reversible Contraception in Adolescents: The Pill, Patch, Ring and Emergency Contraception. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018;48(12):333-344.
4. Hubacher D, Trussell J. A definition of modern contraceptive methods. Contraception. 2015;92(5):420-1.
5. Zgliczynska M, Szymusik I, Sierocinska A, Bajaka A, Rowniak M, Sochacki-Wojcicka N, Wielgos M, Kosinska-Kaczynska K. Contraceptive Behaviors in Polish Women Aged 18-35-a Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(15):2723.
6. Warzecha D, Szymusik I, Pietrzak B, Kosinska-Kaczynska K, Sierdzinski J, Sochacki-Wojcicka N, et al. Sex education in Poland - a cross-sectional study evaluating over twenty thousand polish women's knowledge of reproductive health issues and contraceptive methods. BMC Public Health. 2019;19(1):689.
7. Dehlendorf C, Levy K, Kelley A, Grumbach K, Steinauer J. Women's preferences for contraceptive counseling and decision making. Contraception. 2013;88(2):250-6.
8. Nowosielski K. Do oral combined contraceptive pills modify body image and sexual function? Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2022;20(1):94.
9. Bellizzi S, Sobel HL, Obara H, Temmerman M. Underuse of modern methods of contraception: underlying causes and consequent undesired pregnancies in 35 low- and middle-income countries. Hum Reprod. 2015;30(4):973-86.
10. von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gøtzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP; et al. The Strengthening the
Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. J Clin Epidemiol. 2008;61(4):344-9.
11. Van Epps H, Astudillo O, Martin YD, Marsh J. The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines: Implementation and checklist development. European Science Editing. 2022;48:e86910.
12. Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/, 2013 (accessed 18 February 2024).
13. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2020). World Family Planning 2020 Highlights: Accelerating action to ensure universal access to family planning (ST/ESA/SER.A/450). Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/files/documents/2020/Sep/unpd_2020_worldfamilyplanning_highlights.pdf (accessed September 2024).
14. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). Contraceptive Use by Method 2019: Data Booklet (ST/ESA/SER.A/435). Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/files/documents/2020/Jan/un_2019_contraceptiveusebymethod_databooklet.pdf (accessed September 2024).
15. Wozniak S, Wieczorkowski R, Czekalska A. The health Status of the Polish Population in 2019. Statistics Poland, Social Surveys Department (stat.gov.pl). Statistical Publishing Establishment. Warsaw 2021. Available at: file:///C:/Users/Administrator/Downloads/health_status_
of_population_in_poland_in_2019.pdf (accessed September 2024).
16. Izdebski Z, Wąż K, Warzecha D, Mazur J, Wielgoś M. Factors Associated with Uptake of Effective and Ineffective Contraceptives among Polish Women during the First Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):12748.
17. Le Guen M, Schantz C, Régnier-Loilier A, de La Rochebrochard E. Reasons for rejecting hormonal contraception in Western countries: A systematic review. Soc Sci Med. 2021;284:114247.
18. Sedlander E, Bingenheimer JB, Thiongo M, Gichangi P, Rimal RN, Edberg M, et al. "They Destroy the Reproductive System": Exploring the Belief that Modern Contraceptive Use Causes Infertility. Stud Fam
Plann. 2018;49(4):345-365.
19. Hindin MJ, McGough LJ, Adanu RM. Misperceptions, misinformation and myths about modern contraceptive use in Ghana. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2014;40(1):30-5.
20. Olszewski J, Olszewska H, Abacjew-Chmylko A, Chmylko L, Gaworska-Krzeminska A, Wydra D. Sexual behavior and contraception among young Polish women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2010;89(11):1447-52.
21. Bardaweel SK, Akour AA, Kilani MV. Current knowledge, attitude, and patterns of oral contraceptives utilization among women in Jordan. BMC Womens Health. 2015;15:117.
22. Lewis CA, Kimmig AS, Zsido RG, Jank A, Derntl B, Sacher J. Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives on Mood: A Focus on Emotion Recognition and Reactivity, Reward Processing, and Stress Response. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(11):115.
23. Slater AM, Estrada F, Suarez-Lopez L, de la Vara-Salazar E, Campero L. Overall user satisfaction with family planning services and associated quality care factors: a cross-sectional analysis. Reproductive health. 2018;15:1-8.
24. Reed S, Koro C, DiBello J, Becker K, Bauerfeind A, Franke C, et al. Prospective controlled cohort study on the safety of a monophasic oral contraceptive containing nomegestrol acetate (2.5mg) and 17β-oestradiol (1.5mg) (PRO-E2 study): risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2021;26(6):439-446.
25. Bińkowska M, Jakimiuk A, Paszkowski T, Pawelczyk L, Skrzypulec-Plinta V. Risk of venous thromboembolism during the use of oral estrogen-progestogen hormone therapies in light of most recent research findings. Prz Menopauzalny. 2022;21(3):197-199.
26. Lee A, Syed YY. Estetrol/Drospirenone: A Review in Oral Contraception. Drugs. 2022;82(10):1117-1125.
27. Borzyszkowska D, Niedzielska M, Kozłowski M, Brodowska A, Przepiera A, Malczyk-Matysiak K, et al. Evaluation of Hormonal Factors in Acne Vulgaris and the Course of Acne Vulgaris Treatment with Contraceptive-Based Therapies in Young Adult Women. Cells. 2022;11(24):4078.
28. Bianchini F, Verde P, Colangeli S, Boccia M, Strollo F, Guariglia C, et al. Effects of oral contraceptives and natural menstrual cycling on environmental learning. BMC Womens Health. 2018;18(1):179.
29. World Health Organization. Ensuring human rights in the provision of contraceptive information and services: guidance and recommendations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK195054/, 2014.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 18, No 3 (September 2024) | |
| Section | Original Articles | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/jfrh.v18i3.16659 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Hormonal Contraception Adverse Effects Reproductive Behavior Family Planning | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Karpowicz N, Mączka K, Skoczylas A, Pacocha N, Kunicki M, Grymowicz M, Smolarczyk R. The Most Common Side Effects, Concerns and Discontinuation Patterns of Oral Contraceptive Pills Among Polish Women: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Family Reprod Health. 2024;18(3):170-179.
