Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Objective: The effect of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) on female sexuality has long been a matter of discussion, but placebo-controlled studies are lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate if an oestradiol-containing COC influences sexual function. Design: Investigator-i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Bioscientifica
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Endocrine Connections |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/7/11/EC-18-0384.xml |
| _version_ | 1818954329163300864 |
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| author | Cecilia Lundin Agota Malmborg Julia Slezak Kristina Gemzell Danielsson Marie Bixo Hanna Bengtsdotter Lena Marions Ingela Lindh Elvar Theodorsson Mats Hammar Inger Sundström-Poromaa |
| author_facet | Cecilia Lundin Agota Malmborg Julia Slezak Kristina Gemzell Danielsson Marie Bixo Hanna Bengtsdotter Lena Marions Ingela Lindh Elvar Theodorsson Mats Hammar Inger Sundström-Poromaa |
| author_sort | Cecilia Lundin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: The effect of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) on female sexuality has long been a matter of discussion, but placebo-controlled studies are lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate if an oestradiol-containing COC influences sexual function.
Design: Investigator-initiated, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial where 202 healthy women were randomised to a combined oral contraceptive (1.5 mg oestradiol and 2.5 mg nomegestrol acetate) or placebo for three treatment cycles.
Methods: Sexual function at baseline and during the last week of the final treatment cycle was evaluated by the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire. Serum and hair testosterone levels were assessed at the same time points.
Results: Compared to placebo, COC use was associated with a small decrease in sexual interest (COC median change score: −2.0; interquartile range (IQR): −5.0 to 0.5 vs placebo: −1.0; IQR: −3.0 to 2.0, P = 0.019), which remained following adjustment for change in self-rated depressive symptoms (B = −0.80 ± 0.30, Wald = 7.08, P = 0.008). However, the proportion of women who reported a clinically relevant deterioration in sexual interest did not differ between COC or placebo users (COC 18 (22.2%) vs placebo 16 (17.8%), P = 0.47). Change in other measured aspects of sexual function as well as total score of sexual function did not differ between the two treatments.
Conclusions: This study suggests that use of oestradiol-based COCs is associated with reduced sexual interest. However, the changes are minute, and probably not of clinical relevance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T10:20:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dd34e5dcc5804f0785177e702f834158 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-3614 2049-3614 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T10:20:26Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Bioscientifica |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Endocrine Connections |
| spelling | doaj.art-dd34e5dcc5804f0785177e702f8341582022-12-21T19:43:56ZengBioscientificaEndocrine Connections2049-36142049-36142018-10-0171112081216https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-18-0384Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trialCecilia Lundin0Agota Malmborg1Julia Slezak2Kristina Gemzell Danielsson3Marie Bixo4Hanna Bengtsdotter5Lena Marions6Ingela Lindh7Elvar Theodorsson8Mats Hammar9Inger Sundström-Poromaa10Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenObstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenClinical Chemistry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Umeå University, Umeå, SwedenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Örebro University, Örebro, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, SwedenClinical Chemistry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenObstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenObjective: The effect of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) on female sexuality has long been a matter of discussion, but placebo-controlled studies are lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate if an oestradiol-containing COC influences sexual function. Design: Investigator-initiated, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial where 202 healthy women were randomised to a combined oral contraceptive (1.5 mg oestradiol and 2.5 mg nomegestrol acetate) or placebo for three treatment cycles. Methods: Sexual function at baseline and during the last week of the final treatment cycle was evaluated by the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire. Serum and hair testosterone levels were assessed at the same time points. Results: Compared to placebo, COC use was associated with a small decrease in sexual interest (COC median change score: −2.0; interquartile range (IQR): −5.0 to 0.5 vs placebo: −1.0; IQR: −3.0 to 2.0, P = 0.019), which remained following adjustment for change in self-rated depressive symptoms (B = −0.80 ± 0.30, Wald = 7.08, P = 0.008). However, the proportion of women who reported a clinically relevant deterioration in sexual interest did not differ between COC or placebo users (COC 18 (22.2%) vs placebo 16 (17.8%), P = 0.47). Change in other measured aspects of sexual function as well as total score of sexual function did not differ between the two treatments. Conclusions: This study suggests that use of oestradiol-based COCs is associated with reduced sexual interest. However, the changes are minute, and probably not of clinical relevance.https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/7/11/EC-18-0384.xmlcombined oral contraceptiveMcCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaireplaceborandomised clinical trialsexual functionsexual interesttestosterone |
| spellingShingle | Cecilia Lundin Agota Malmborg Julia Slezak Kristina Gemzell Danielsson Marie Bixo Hanna Bengtsdotter Lena Marions Ingela Lindh Elvar Theodorsson Mats Hammar Inger Sundström-Poromaa Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial Endocrine Connections combined oral contraceptive McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire placebo randomised clinical trial sexual function sexual interest testosterone |
| title | Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial |
| title_full | Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial |
| title_short | Sexual function and combined oral contraceptives: a randomised, placebo-controlled trial |
| title_sort | sexual function and combined oral contraceptives a randomised placebo controlled trial |
| topic | combined oral contraceptive McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire placebo randomised clinical trial sexual function sexual interest testosterone |
| url | https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/7/11/EC-18-0384.xml |
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