Does birth control affect your libido?

Researchers looked at 33 years of studies that included more than 8,400 women taking birth control pills. Of those women, 22% reported a rise in their libido, 15% said they felt less desire, and 63% reported no change at all.

So maybe birth control makes sex better. Less stress from worrying about getting pregnant may = more drive?

Well if it’s not the pill, then what is it?

Could be your health, age, feelings about your relationship, are you physically active, do you drink too much, and how much stress is in your life.

“Regular” birth control pills, and the patch, and ring have 2 types of hormones in them: estrogen and progesterone. The amount of each hormone and type of progesterone varies by the pill. Each woman responds differently to the hormones.

One way the pill, patch, ring works is by blocking ovulation and many women notice a slight increase in libido with ovulation.

If you notice a change, talk to your provider. S/he can check to see if medical conditions or another medication might be causing your mojo to go down. S/he can help you decide whether to change medications. S/he might recommend you see a therapist or other medical experts if something turns up on the tests.

Do a check in with yourself: how is the relationship going? What stressors are going on? Are you eating too little/too much? These are all things that can put you out of the mood.