title: Hormonal contraception and sexual desire: A questionnaire-based study of young Swedish women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine whether a decrease in sexual desire is more prevalent among women using hormonal contraception than among women using hormone-free contraception, and whether a decrease increases the risk of changing to another contraceptive method.
  
  
  METHODS
  A validated questionnaire was posted to 3740 women (aged 22, 25 or 28 years) living in Sweden. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results; differences between groups were tested using χ(2) analyses. A multiple logistic regression model was used for analysis of possible confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 50%. The majority (81%) of respondents used some kind of contraception, and 88% were generally satisfied with the method used. Regardless of the type of method, 27% of hormonal contraceptive users reported a decrease in sexual desire that they attributed to their use of hormonal contraception, whereas only 12% of women using hormone-free contraception reported a decrease in sexual desire (p<0.01). This twofold risk of a decrease in sexual desire was shown in the multiple regression analysis to be independent of age group, depression, BMI, educational level and parity. However, having a partner was found to be a factor of equal importance: women with partners experienced reduced desire twice as often as women without partners. The observed odds ratio for planning to stop hormonal contraception or to change to a different type due to reduced desire was 8.16 (95% confidence interval 6.65-10.1) among women who had had the same experience during a previous period of hormonal contraceptive use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women using hormonal contraception were more likely to experience reduced sexual desire compared with women using hormone-free contraception. Experiencing reduced desire was a strong predictive factor for women to change contraceptive method.
authors.affiliation: a Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Agota
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malmborg
authors.affiliation: a Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: a Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brynhildsen
authors.affiliation: a Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003274:Contraceptive Devices, Female; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007436:Intrauterine Devices, Medicated; D007989:Libido; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D057968:Transdermal Patch; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
keywords: Cross-sectional study; Hormonal contraceptives; Intrauterine devices; Progestin; Sexual desire