A new study conducted by the World Health Organization, the UN Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP), and The Pleasure Project reveals that about one in 20 people who discontinue contraception while still needing it do so due to perceived negative impacts on their sex lives. The systematic review, titled The Sex Effect: The prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation, analyzed 64 studies involving over 125,000 participants and highlights significant implications for public health. Ensuring that contraceptive options meet users’ needs, including their sexual well-being, can improve uptake, reduce unintended pregnancies, lower maternal mortality, and curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
Dr. Pascale Allotey, WHO and HRP Director of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, emphasized that the ability to enjoy sex without fear of unintended pregnancy is a primary reason for using contraception. The findings underscore the need to consider sexual satisfaction in family planning programs and show a gap in current sexual health approaches globally.
The review found that contraceptive users report a variety of sexual impacts, including decreased libido, discomfort during intercourse, and concerns about their partner’s sexual experience. These concerns were reported across different contraceptive methods, whether hormonal or non-hormonal. Despite their prevalence, sexual side effects are rarely addressed in clinical research or by healthcare providers during contraceptive counselling.
To better support users’ experiences, the study recommends normalizing discussions about sex during counselling, integrating sexual acceptability into family planning guidance and policy, training providers to recognize and manage sexual side effects, offering practical solutions such as lubricants, and addressing sexual well-being in contraceptive research and product development.
The study also highlights broader public health benefits from meeting global contraceptive needs, estimating that maternal mortality could drop by 25–35%, unintended pregnancies could decrease from 80 million to 26 million annually, and high-risk pregnancies and births could decline by up to 40%. Additionally, barrier methods like condoms prevent many sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis.
While access to modern contraception remains a challenge in many regions, high discontinuation rates further undermine progress, with nearly 40% of women discontinuing their chosen method, and rates exceeding 50% in some countries. Dr. Lianne Gonsalves, WHO Scientist for Sexual Health and senior author of the study, noted that ensuring contraception supports both a satisfying and safe sex life is crucial for sexual health and overall well-being, and that many users will see their experiences reflected in the study’s results.
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