A study has recently shown that taking oral contraceptives can have a significant impact on your sex life.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of New Mexico conducted a study on the effects of different oral contraceptives on the sex lives of women. The results, published in the Evolution & Human Behavior journal found that in general, women taking oral contraceptives were having more sex.
RELATED: New Study Finds That The Contraceptive Pill Is Linked To Depression
This makes sense from a birth control perspective, however is curious given that a common side effect of taking the pill is a decreased sex drive.
The study also looked into how the balance of different hormones in oral contraceptives affected the amount of sex women were having.
Naturally, a woman’s menstrual cycle is governed by estrogen and progesterone, with estrogen levels peaking at ovulation (along with sex drive) and progesterone levels peaking just before a woman’s period.
RELATED: New Warnings For Women Using The Contraceptive Pill
Oral contraceptives naturally mimic these hormones, however some contain higher levels of estrogen or progesterone than others.
The study found that women using contraceptives with a higher level of estrogen had more sex with casual partners. However, women using contraceptives with a higher level of progesterone had more sex in a longterm relationship.
It’s certainly given more insight into how the pill affects your sex drive!
