Characteristics of Women Who Experience Mood and Sexual Side Effects With Use of Hormonal Contraception

Objective: To describe the characteristics of women who experience sexual and mood side effects associated with use of hormonal contraception, and to compare them with women who do not. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of women presenting for primary care or to a reproductive health clinic. The women were asked if they had specific side effects with use of hormonal contraception in the domains of sexual desire, arousability, or irritability. The characteristics of women who reported such symptoms were compared with those who did not. Results: Of the 1311 women recruited (mean age 28 years), 978 (77%) had previously used hormonal contraception. Of these women, 482 (51%) said they had at least one mood side effect and 358 (38%) said they had at least one sexual side effect. Using logistic regression, we found that women complaining of mood side effects were more likely to be unmarried (P = 0.02) and to be Caucasian or South Asian (P = 0.002) than women without such complaints. Women complaining of sexual side effects were more likely than those without sexual side effects to be younger (P = 0.04), to have more education (P = 0.04), and to be Caucasian or South Asian (P = 0.07). Women who complained of sexual side effects were also more likely than others to complain of mood and physical side effects (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Understanding the characteristics of women who report mood and sexual side effects with use of hormonal contraception may be useful when counselling women about contraception. It is important for women to choose contraception that not only is effective but also does not complicate their emotional and sexual lives.