Psychosocial and Physiological Mechanisms in the Effect of Hormonal Contraception on the Female Sexual Desire

Ghent University Hospital (UZ)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Drug: minipill; Drug: low-dose combination pill; Drug: Nuvaring

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00374387

2006/309

Details and patient eligibility

About

75 heterosexual women are asked to use 3 different types of contraception (Nuvaring, low-dose combination pill, minipill), each during 3 months. On a monthly basis, questionnaires are filled out about sexual desire and psychosocial, relational en sexual parameters. Also the sexual desire of the partner is questioned. On a three-monthly basis, blood samples are drawn to determine changes in hormonal parameters (one sample per product period).

75 lesbian women are doing the same trial, but during an extra 3 months period, they are asked to have their natural menstrual cyclus as a control condition. Blood samples during these extra months will be drawn at the third or fourth day after start of the menses.

Enrollment: 150 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Heterosexual or lesbian women
• Aged between 18 and 45 years
• Stable monogameous relationship
• Normal menstrual cyclus

Exclusion criteria

• Polycystic ovarial syndrome
• Normal exclusion criteria for the use of contraception
• Use of medication known to influence sexual desire and/or androgen levels
• Women who wants to become pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)