Contraception
Volume 82, Issue 2 , Pages 155-159, August 2010

Effects of sex hormones in oral contraceptives on the female sexual function score: a study in German female medical students☆☆☆★

  • Markus Wallwiener

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Fax: +49 (0) 89 387 99588.
    • Authors have contributed equally.
    • ,
  • Lisa-Maria Wallwiener

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Heidelberg, University of Heidelberg, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
    • Authors have contributed equally.
    • ,
  • Harald Seeger

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
    • ,
  • Alfred O. Mueck

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
    • ,
  • Stephan Zipfel

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
    • ,
  • Johannes Bitzer

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Christian W. Wallwiener

      Affiliations

    • Department of OB/GYN, University Hospital Tuebingen, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany

Received 22 October 2009; received in revised form 23 December 2009; accepted 30 December 2009. published online 11 February 2010.

Abstract 

Background

The survey was conducted to compare the influence of sex hormones in oral contraceptives (OCs) on female sexual function.

Methods

One thousand eighty-six female German medical students completed an online-based questionnaire incorporating the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Oral contraceptives used were classified into those containing androgenic or antiandrogenic progestins and by ethinylestradiol (EE) dosage (20 mcg, 30 mcg and >30 mcg). Female Sexual Function Index scores in women using OCs were compared to those in nonusers.

Results

Seven hundred fifty-two of 1086 participating women used OCs. No statistically significant differences in FSFI scores were found among women using OCs containing androgenic or antiandrogenic progestins, nor were any seen between different EE dosages. In general, OC users had lower FSFI scores than nonusers.

Conclusion

Female Sexual Function Index scores were negatively influenced by the use of OCs. However, the impact of an androgenic or antiandrogenic progestin content or different dosages of EE as modulating factors of female sexual function seems negligible.

Keywords: Libido, Contraception, Female sexual dysfunction, Desire, Arousal, FSFI, Online study

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☆ This study was supported by a grant from the Research Foundation of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Tuebingen, Germany.

☆☆ This study was orally presented at the XXI German Full Professor Conference for OB/GYN (25.-26.09.2009, Innsbruck, Austria).

★ The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

PII: S0010-7824(09)00560-5

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2009.12.022

Contraception
Volume 82, Issue 2 , Pages 155-159, August 2010

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