It is a very common misconception: women who take the pill feel less sexual desire than others. However, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky and Indiana University (in the United States), hormonal contraception would actually have … almost no impact on libido.
To come to this conclusion, the scientists (under the direction of Dr. Kristen Mark) worked with a large panel of 900 American women of different ages. They measured their sexual desire with their partner and their solo sexual desire, while comparing the data with the type of contraception chosen by the participants – oral hormonal contraception (the famous pill, therefore), hormonal contraception (type contraceptive implant) or non-hormonal contraception.
The environment, more important than the contraceptive method chosen
Results ? At first glance, women using a non-hormonal contraceptive method felt more sexual desire when they were alone, while women who opted for oral and hormonal contraception reported greater sexual desire with their partner.
However, by studying the results of the study more closely and taking into account in particular the environment of the participants (their age and the length of their relationship, in particular), the scientists realized that contraception did not , ultimately, no impact on libido.
“Sometimes women use their contraception as a pretext to justify a decrease or an increase in libido, write the researchers, who published their work in the specialized journal The Journal of Sexual Medicine. In reality, it is the context that influences the female libido : relations with the partner, self-esteem, age, state of health … “And a misconception dismantled, one!
