Inrecentyearsagroundbreakingnewstudyhasbeenreleasedintotheeffectsofthecontraceptivepill.ResearchfromDenmarkclaimedwomenonthepillandotherformsofhormonalcontraceptionwere70%morelikelytobediagnosedwithdepressionthanthosewhowerenot.Andanotherstudyhasfoundhormonalcontraceptionwaslinkedtoaseeminglydramaticriskofbreastcancer. Negativeheadlinesarenothingnewforthecontraceptivepill-firstintroducedin1961,ithashadachequeredhistorywithearlyversionslinkedtocancerriskandlife-threateningbloodclots.YethormonalcontraceptionremainsBritain'smostpopularformofbirthcontrol,andtodayoverthreemillionwomentakeregulardosesofsynthetichormones.Soshouldtheybeworriedaboutitssafety? GPDrZoeWilliamsgetsbehindtheheadlinesinthisHorizoninvestigation.Aspeciallycommissioned,nationwidesurveyrevealstheareasofmostconcerntoBritishwomen-frommentalhealthtotheriskofcanceranddropinlibido.Withthehelpofworldleadingscientists,ZoefindsoutiftheseconcernsarejustifiedandbydelvingdeepintothesciencearoundthepillssideeffectsHorizonuncoverssomestrikingrevelations-fromprotectingwomenagainstcancertoincreasingtheirriskofsuicide.
