A new review led by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations’ Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP), and The Pleasure Project has revealed that concerns about sexual well-being are a significant factor in contraceptive discontinuation. The systematic review, The Sex Effect – The prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation, analyzed 64 studies involving more than 125,000 participants. These include reduced libido, discomfort during intercourse, or concerns about their partner’s sexual experience.
Key Finding:
Findings show that around 1 in 20 people stop using contraception, despite still needing it, because of perceived negative impacts on their sex lives.
Notably, the review found no significant differences in sexual concerns between hormonal and non-hormonal methods, suggesting that sexual side effects are a broad challenge across contraceptive options.
Closing the Gap – Recommendations for Policy & Practice:
Despite the prevalence of these concerns, sexual side effects are rarely discussed in clinical research or routine contraceptive counselling. The study recommends urgent changes to address this gap, including:
Normalizing conversations about sex during contraceptive counselling.
Integrating sexual acceptability into family planning guidance and clinical policy.
Training providers to recognize and manage sexual side effects.
Addressing sexual well-being in contraceptive research and product development.
Beyond individual health, the study points to broader public health benefits.
Meeting global contraceptive needs could prevent up to 54 million unintended pregnancies each year, reduce maternal mortality by 25-35%, and lower high-risk pregnancies by as much as 40%. Condom use additionally protects against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis.
However, discontinuation remains a major challenge, with nearly 40% of women worldwide stopping their chosen method—and in some countries, rates exceed 50%. High dropout undermines progress in reducing unintended pregnancies and maternal deaths. The review sheds a light on addressing sexual well-being in contraceptive use is essential not only for individual satisfaction but also for advancing global health outcomes.
“The ability to enjoy sex without fear of unintended pregnancy is a major reason people use contraception,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at WHO and HRP.