Relationship between premenstrual symptoms and oral contraceptive use: a controlled study

Patterns of menstrual cycle-related change were compared in three groups of women differing in their use of oral contraceptives and being matched for age, occupation, and parity. These groups were: a "monophasic group" (n = 35) established on low dose "combined" pills with stable levels of estrogen and progestagen. a "triphasic group" (n = 30) on low dose pills with escalating progestagen dosage, and a "non-pill control group" (n = 57) using nonsteroidal contraceptives. Each woman kept visual analogue ratings of mood, irritability, energy, tension, breast tenderness, bloating, and sexual interest for two or three cycles. Cyclicity was evident in all variables assessed, but the only variable to show a clear difference between groups was breast tenderness; the "monophasic group" showed less premenstrual breast tenderness than the other two groups. The monophasic group also showed a tendency to menstrual rather than premenstrual symptoms. In view of the similarity of timing of most cyclical symptoms in the three groups, it is difficult to attribute such cyclical phenomena to the effects of either ovulation or variation in corpus luteum function. For most subjects, the cyclical changes were relatively mild, and these findings need to be replicated in women suffering from severe premenstrual syndrome. However, alternative explanations need to account for changes in women both taking and not taking oral contraceptives.