Millions of women use hormonal contraceptives, most often for pregnancy prevention but also to manage health conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. A new study from Rice University suggests these medications may affect more than reproductive health.

Published in Hormones and Behavior, the study, “Emotion regulation strategies differentially impact memory in hormonal contraceptive users,” found that hormonal contraceptives appear to shape how women experience emotions in the moment and how they remember emotional events later.

Lead author Beatriz M. Brandao, a graduate student in Rice’s Department of Psychological Sciences, and her collaborators compared women on hormonal contraceptives with naturally cycling women as they viewed emotional images and used strategies to regulate their feelings. Women using hormonal contraceptives showed stronger emotional reactions overall, but remembered fewer details of negative experiences — a pattern researchers say could help women move on from unpleasant events rather than replay them.

The findings add nuance to ongoing questions about how birth control affects not only the body but also the mind, with implications for mental health and women’s health research.

The Hertz Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing American scientific and technological leadership, today announced that the application for the 2026 Hertz Fellowship is now open. The Hertz Fellowship is one of the most competitive and coveted awards for doctoral students in applied sciences, engineering and mathematics. Hertz Fellows receive up to five years of funding, giving them freedom from the traditional constraints of graduate training and the independence needed to pursue groundbreaking research. They also gain lifelong professional support, including mentoring, events and networking opportunities.