Sex and the Pill

I've heard recently from several women who belong to the 25% of birth control pill users who suffer sexual side effects from the Pill. The effects include decreased desire, difficulty with lubrication, and trouble reaching orgasm. This is a real problem for those affected because hormonal methods of birth control are the most effective means of pregnancy prevention (short of sterilization) and are the easiest to use.

The Pill affects a woman's testosterone levels which are significant in driving desire. The hormones block testosterone production in the ovaries and increase the production of the protein that attaches to testosterone to make it inactive.

If the Pill is killing any interest you ever had in sex, it's important to talk to your doctor about alternative forms of hormonal birth control. Your body may respond better to one pill than another. If you've tried a variety of different pills and are still suffering from sexual side effects, you may want to consider another kind of birth control altogether. Maybe not ideal, but better than a sex life that's dead in the water.