Birth control pill: the worrying effects on women’s behavior

A drop in motivation for success, in the feeling of being desirable and in performance in tasks requiring perseverance… Is it the fault of the contraceptive pill?

Yes, according to the analysis of a team of researchers whose results were published in an article The Conversation US.

Competitive instinct

To carry out their work, they reviewed all the existing research and in particular the studies on the impact of the pill on the competitive instinct (46 studies available involving a total of 16,290 participants).

Indeed, hormonal contraceptives affect three hormones related to a competitive attitude: testosterone, progesterone and a type of estrogen called estradiol. These hormones have an impact on the motivation and ability of women to achieve a higher social status, which are in fact diminished.

sexual behavior

But that’s not all: the pill can also affect competition around mating. Indeed, recent research has shown that women who have a natural cycle feel more desirable and sexually attractive in the middle of the cycle, which is not the case for users of hormonal contraceptives. This suggests that hormonal contraceptives decrease the fertility-induced increase in desirability that drives sexual behavior.

Informed decisions

These conclusions are only preliminary for the moment because the research had limitations – in particular because almost no study available used randomized controlled trials which guarantee a reliable and least questionable level of evidence.

But while hormonal contraceptives have been used for 60 years, their effects are still poorly understood. Scientists are therefore calling for more solid evidence on the comprehensive effects of hormonal contraceptives so that women can make informed decisions about their own bodies.