Birth control may lower sex drive

While the media has focused on the controversy of easier access to birth control pills, not many have paid attention to the possible sexual side effects of this contraceptive, until now.\nIU's Kinsey Institute and the Regenstrief Institute for Health Care of Indianapolis are in the midst of a study investigating the correlation between oral contraceptives and sexual dysfunction in women.\n"We're looking at the effects of the pill on sexuality and well being and what relationship there is between changes in hormone level and changes in sexuality," said Cynthia Graham, a co-principal investigator of the study and IU professor of psychology. "We know the pill lowers testosterone levels, and we know women are more sensitive to that. It's been speculated for a long time that some women may be negatively influenced sexually by this, but this is actually the first study of its kind."\nTestosterone occurs naturally in both males and females but at much lower levels in females, Graham said. When starting on the pill, the level of testosterone drops even more, negatively affecting the sex drive of some women, Graham said.\nIt has been theorized that testosterone and estrogen are the driving forces of libido, Graham said.\nTeri Greco, the other co-principal investigator, said she believes drug companies have been "conveniently" ignoring sexual side effects over the years.\n"It has been known for years that oral contraceptives can cause a loss in libido," Greco said. "Information from drug companies has always listed it as a possible side effect. I'm not sure why it's not a priority. Maybe the drug companies are not comfortable with it as a side effect."\nThe idea for the study sprung from Graham and Greco's mutual interest in the subject of sexual dysfunction.\n"I was interested in female sexual dysfunction, and Cynthia was also interested in that and oral contraceptives. So we sat down and worked on a protocol idea, how to recruit, eligibility and other criteria," Greco said. \nAs part of the study, women are interviewed twice, before and after starting the pill, and given three free months of the contraceptive Ortho Tri-Cyclen or Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO.\nThe IU Health Center has been a major recruitment site for the study.\n"They've been very pleased with the response so far. They wanted 60 women for the study and so far they have 40 enrolled," University Physician Dr. Diana Ebling said. "It's an appealing study with benefits such as being paid and free pills."\nEbling also praised the goals of the study.\n"This is an area we need to know more about," she said. "The study is asking good questions."\nGraham hopes the study will be concluded by June.\n-- Contact senior writer Chris Freiberg at wfreiber@indiana.edu.