"I couldn't have an orgasm for SIX years. It wasn't like I didn't try either. I felt broken. I would look up articles about female sexual dysfunction. I was dry as the Sahara Desert. I thought I was going through menopause in my 20's. I thought that was my future. Then I realized it was a side effect of the pill." - Anonymous.
About 9% of women have never had an orgasm, according to research. That's one in 10.
Low libido can be due to hormone imbalances. Sexual dysfunctions occur in desire, arousal, orgasm, and pain.
Isn't it ironic? The pill's supposed to give women sexual freedom. But it can make women lose interest in having sex at all.
Dr. Andrew Goldstein sees hundreds of women a year at his Center for Vulvo-Vaginal Disorders. He found that young women taking low-dose birth control pills experienced symptoms normally seen only in menopausal women with low estrogen levels. Vaginal dryness is a hormonal side effect of some birth control methods.
Women on birth control can have fewer orgasms and painful sex.
"There are several reasons for women who come to our clinic with the complaint of lack of orgasm:"
1.) Hysterectomy
2.) Childbirth
3.) SSRI antidepressants
4.) BIRTH CONTROL PILLS
Low Testosterone, Low Libido
"I was on birth control for years for painful periods. I decided to go off of the pill. Then my sex drive went through the roof. But I felt shamed by my doctor. Three different doctors still tried to get me to go back on the pill."- Anonymous
Sexual dysfunction with the birth control pill is well known,"
We know testosterone has a lot to do with sexual functioning in women, including arousal and orgasm.
When we take the pill, our liver releases sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). SHBG binds to our FREE testosterone. It then inactivates it. As a result, women on the pill have lower testosterone levels.
Low testosterone not only makes things drier. But also more painful, a condition is known as hormonally mediated vestibulodynia.
Low bioavailable or free testosterone values may cause a diminished sensation in the genitals, leading to difficulty with orgasm and a loss of sexual interest.
Low testosterone can also lead to fatigue, lethargy, and moodiness.
Curiously, sexual side effects of the oral contraceptive pill are not listed in the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference).
"I took birth control since I was 16. Sex felt good. I enjoyed the connection. But it was never about pleasure. It didn't build." - Anonymous
At 14 - 16 years old, the choice of contraception is difficult for patients. It can be stressful. Patients are usually uncertain of all the effects.
The level of education about reproductive health in high school is insufficient. Many of us do not learn about contraceptives in school.
Nowadays, there are many different contraceptive methods to choose from.
They are classified as:
- hormonal or non-hormonal,
- short-acting or long-acting,
- reversible or irreversible
The wide range allows patients to pick one that meets their expectations. One where they don't have to feel like they are sacrificing their physiological health for reproductive safety.
The pill isn't the only hormonal birth control. This includes the vaginal ring, patch, progestogen-only pills, and hormonal IUDs.
Which Birth Control Kills Your Sex Drive The Least? Here's The Answer.
For all you science lovers. Here’s another study that shows you’re not crazy or the only one out there.
A study of 6763 women, current contraceptive users, aged 18 to 35.
In total, 51% had chosen hormonal contraception, of which 68% ( n = 2340) experienced side effects.
Decreased libido was the most frequent undesirable effect (39%, n = 1336).
Other frequent side effects included weight gain (22%, n = 769).
Mood disorders (21%, n = 731), headaches (17%, n = 585), abnormal bleeding (15%, n = 527), and tenderness of breasts (14%, n = 478).