The Aporia · Did My IUD Make My Depression Worse?

Did My IUD Make My Depression Worse?

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Did My IUD Make My Depression Worse? (2026, September 19). Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/reproductive-health-hormonal-birth-control-side-effects-menopause-women/

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Quick Summary

Julia Lurie, a senior reporter for Mother Jones, discusses her personal experience with an IUD and its impact on her mental health after removal. She investigates how hormonal birth control may affect mood by consulting scientists and doctors who reveal substantial evidence linking these contraceptives to higher rates of depression, suicidality, anxiety, and insomnia. The article explores the challenge of addressing such side effects without fueling anti-birth control rhetoric.

Written by AI on 2026-09-19, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Mother Jones senior reporter Julia Lurie removed her IUD and noticed an improvement in her mood and overall calmness. This prompted her to investigate whether hormonal birth control can lead to depression and other mental health issues like anxiety and insomnia. Speaking with scientists, doctors, and public health experts, she found that research has long indicated a higher likelihood of such side effects among users of hormonal contraceptives. Dr. Ojvind Lidegaard, an OB-GYN and contraceptive researcher, stated that for some women, these mood changes can occur very quickly after starting hormonal birth control. The article highlights the need to discuss these potential side effects openly without fueling anti-birth control sentiments in a politically charged environment.

Written for “IUD And Mental Health” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

0 of 6 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

Leans left

of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

60/100

Mother Jones's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Health

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Analyzed 2026-09-19 · how these are computed

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Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Mother Jones · 439 article(s) · 1 correction(s) detected

Running correction rate · 1 correction(s)

2026-11-01

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Who wrote this

No reporter is named on this article, beyond the feed's “Reveal”.

Topics

Mother Jones Reveal

Subjects

Julia Lurie PERSON · 1× Lurie PERSON · 1× Mother Jones ORG · 1× Ojvind Lidegaard PERSON · 1× Reveal ORG · 1×

Narrative

In talking with scientists, doctors, and public health experts, Lurie learns that for years, research has found that people on hormonal contraceptives are much more likely to experience depression, suicidality, anxiety, insomnia, and other effects rarely discussed by the doctors who prescribe them.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-19

2026-09-19 · Mother Jones

Did My IUD Make My Depression Worse? · assertive framing

Claims (6 extracted, 0 hedged)

After Mother Jones senior reporter Julia Lurie had her IUD removed, she was surprised to find that she felt happier and calmer than she had in years. asserted

she → have → years

Her experience made her wonder: What does the science say about how hormonal birth control affects mood? asserted

control → make → mood

And in a moment when contraceptives are so politicized and misinformation is rampant, is it possible to talk about the side effects of birth control without giving ammunition to those who want to get rid of it altogether? asserted

who → talk → it

who → talk → them

“For some women, it can be an almost overnight change,” says OB-GYN and contraceptive researcher Dr. Ojvind Lidegaard. asserted

Lidegaard → say → women

This week on Reveal, we explore the gaps in women’s reproductive health, from contraceptives to menopause. asserted

we → explore → menopause