More than 85% of women^[1] – and more than 300 million people^[2] worldwide at any given time – use hormonal contraceptives for at least five years of their life. Although primarily taken for birth control, many people also use hormonal contraceptives to manage a variety of symptoms^[3] related to menstruation, from cramps and acne to mood swings.

For up to 10% of women^[4], however, hormone contraceptives can increase their...