One-In-20 Choose Pregnancy Risk Over Sexual Side Effects From Birth Control — Study

A study by the World Health Organization has found that one in 20 people discontinue contraception while still needing it to prevent pregnancy or for safer sex.

This, the report said, was due to negative impacts on their sexual satisfaction.

The research, conducted by the United Nations’ Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP) and The Pleasure Project, exposed a gap in contraceptive counseling and family planning programs worldwide.

The report, titled “The Sex Effect: The prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation,” was published on September 26.

The study analysed 64 studies involving over 125 000 participants, with important implications for public health.

According to Dr Pascale Allotey, the Director of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO and HRP, the ability to enjoy sex without fear of unintended pregnancy is a major reason people use contraception.

He added, “These findings underscore the importance of considering sexual satisfaction in supporting successful contraceptive use, and highlight a clear missing link when it comes to improving sexual health and family planning programmes around the world.”

The review also noted that contraceptive users report various impacts on their sex lives, from decreased libido to discomfort during intercourse, or concerns about their partner’s sexual experience.

The WHO also revealed that the review did not find significant differences in the prevalence of such concerns among users of different types of contraception, whether hormonal or non-hormonal methods.

However, it noted that sexual side effects are seldom addressed either in clinical research, or by healthcare providers when helping people choose a contraceptive method.

The study also proposed several key recommendations to better address people’s lived experience when it comes to sexual health and contraceptives, which include; normalize conversations about sex during contraceptive counselling, integrate sexual acceptability into family planning guidance and clinical policy.

Others include, train providers to recognize and address sexual side effects, and offer practical solutions, such as lubricants for methods that may cause dryness, and address sexual well-being in contraception research, planning and product development.

It also highlighted broader potential benefits from a shift in approach beyond individual experience, adding that if global contraceptive needs were met, it would be estimated that maternal mortality could drop by 25–35 percent, and unintended pregnancies could fall from 80 million to 26 million annually.

According to WHO, contraceptives have also shown to reduce high-risk pregnancies and births by as much as 40 per cent.

It also noted that use of barrier contraceptive methods, including condoms, also prevents many sexually transmitted infections including HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis.

“Ensuring that contraception can support both a satisfying and safe sex life is important for boosting people’s sexual health, and therefore, their health overall,” The WHO Scientist for sexual health and senior author of the study, Dr Lianne Gonsalves, said, adding that many users are going to see their lived experience reflected in these results.

The global health leader lamented that access to modern contraception remains a challenge in many parts of the world increasing the discontinuation rates which further undermine progress.

It noted that previous analyses showed that nearly 40 per cent of women discontinue their chosen method, with rates exceeding 50 per cent in some countries.