UNC trial: oral contraceptives may ease suffering of women with ...(ntinuous administration of birth control...),Health

During the trial, researchers will test three groups of 27 women for a three-month period. One group will take a full 28-day dose of oral contraceptives continuously, while another takes the standard 21-7 regimen each month. A third group will be given a placebo.

After the three months, researchers will measure hormone cycling, as well as metabolites of progesterone, which are involved in activating brain centers. "They're regulators of mood and emotion, so if you can eliminate the metabolites that have been implicated in PMDD you may create a huge benefit for women with PMDD," Girdler said.

"We believe this trial will help us understand the underlying physiology, which will allow for the development of a range of possible new treatments," Rubinow added.

That's good news for women like Jamie Dilweg of Chapel Hill, N.C.

Dilweg has managed the disease for 22 years. "Initially, I focused on physical symptoms," she said. "I'd gain weight. My face would be puffy. I had horrible cramps. And that would get me mentally down. The symptoms changed as I matured and had children. It gradually became more emotional. Now it also affects my mental acuity and I can still get down sometimes."

Dilweg's symptoms are fairly manageable, but other women can suffer major disruptions. "The impairment and reduction in quality of life for women with PMDD during their premenstrual phase is equivalent to people with major depression, anxiety disorder and even post-traumatic stress disorder," said Girdler.

While some women try antidepressants like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) to ease the symptoms, a full 40 percent don't respond well to this treatment. "We need other treatment options," Girdler said. "If we can show that conti
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