A study from Indiana University published this past month found that even the new forms of hormonal contraception still hamper components of women’s sexual pleasure.
The pill, patch, ring, or shot are all methods of hormonal birth control. The study split a group of 1,101 women in half, roughly 50 percent using the aforementioned methods and the remaining women using condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, or withdrawal.
The study, based on data collected by the Kinsey Institute’s Women’s Well-being study, which used an online questionnaire, found that the women reported similar levels of sexual satisfaction, which included things such as intimacy and romance, but the women using hormonal contraception experienced less arousal, fewer orgasms, difficulties with lubrication, decreased pleasure and less frequent sex.
“A great effort has been made to make condoms more pleasurable for men,” [lead researcher Nicole] Smith said. “But you don’t hear about this same effort going toward reducing the negative impact of contraception on women’s sexual functioning. It’s just not part of the discussion.”
Smith emphasized that women who experience negative effects from hormonal birth control are at risk of quitting the methods altogether or using them incorrectly. Instead, she says, women should be educated about alternatives and quick fixes like lube:
“They need to know that there are options, such as lubricants or other sexual enhancement products that may help to alleviate some of the negative effects they are experiencing. Women should also be counseled on the many highly effective forms of birth control currently available; switching to another method might work better for them,” she said.
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