研究將避孕與抑鬱症相聯繫:揭示了一些我們不知道的事情

A research team in Denmark has finally confirmed a suspicion that many birth control pill users have had for years-there appears to be a significant correlation between hormonal birth control use and depression.

丹麥的一個研究團隊終於確認了很多吃避孕藥的人多年來都有的猜忌--避孕與抑鬱症之間有着很大的關聯。

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at one million women in Denmark over 14 years and found that women using oral contraception were 23 percent more likely to be prescribed antidepressants. That's no small number.

該研究刊登在美國醫學協會雜誌上，該項研究進行了14年，觀察了100萬名丹麥女性，發現服用口服避孕藥的女性更有可能被描述爲抗抑鬱藥者，可能性爲23%，這可不是小數字。

This percentage was even higher for women between the ages of 15 and 19. Third generation or progesterone-only pills, such as Yasmin, also had a higher correlation with depression.

對15--19歲的避孕者來說，這一比率更高。第三代或孕激素避孕藥，比如優思明，更有可能讓人患有抑鬱。

Before we all panic, Jennifer Conti, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University, warns that a correlation study like this one "raises questions, [but] it doesn't answer them." There would have to be significantly more research before anyone can claim that the birth control pill actually causes depression. She also emphasizes the valuable role birth control plays in many women's lives, and that for most, the benefits far outweigh the risks. It should be noted that those benefits include avoiding pregnancy-related depression.

珍妮弗·康迪是斯坦福大學婦產科學教授，在我們驚慌前，她警告道，這樣的一個關聯研究"提出了問題，但卻沒有回答問題。"在人們聲稱避孕藥真會導致抑鬱症之前，還需要大量的研究加以證明。她還強調避孕對於很多女性來說十分重要，好處是遠高於風險的。還應該注意，這些益處包括避免與懷孕相關的抑鬱症。

While critics have raised valid concerns, many women have been expressing their happiness for these findings on social media.

雖然有些評論家提出了一些擔心，但很多女性在社交媒體上都對這些研究結果表示高興。

The lead author of the study, ?jvind Lidegaard, tells KQED, "Women should know that if they develop depression after starting hormone contraception use, it could due to that use." He reiterates that women who have had a recent or current bout of depression should perhaps consider alternatives to hormone contraception because it may worsen that depression.

該研究的首席作者?jvind Lidegaard在接受美國KQED廣播電臺採訪時說道："女性在使用激素避孕後，如果發現自己得了抑鬱症應該是會察覺得到的：可能是因爲使用了那個。"他重申近期或剛剛發作抑鬱症的女性應該考慮替換激素避孕，因爲繼續使用會加重病情。

The upside of this finding is that women who are taking hormonal birth control and dealing with depression may be able to improve their mental state by discontinuing use of said contraception. It also means that women and doctors can make a better informed decision about what type of birth control is right for them.

該研究也有好的一面，那就是使用激素避孕並且與抑鬱症抗爭的女性可能可以通過不再使用上述避孕方法來改善自己的精神狀態。這也就是說對於哪種避孕方法最適合這個問題，女性和醫生可以做出更好的知情決定。

But for many women there aren't other great alternatives to hormonal birth control and for them, these findings are depressing in and of themselves. It is their hope, and mine, that we can find non-hormonal forms of birth control that work as well.

但對於很多女性來說，沒有什麼比激素避孕更好的避孕方法了，對於她們來說，這些研究結果十分令人抑鬱。我們都希望能夠找到同樣有效的非激素避孕法。