Lesser Studied Birth Control Side Effects

Many women don't think too much (or know enough) about the lesser known side effects of birth control. Adverse effects and warnings are generally related to potential blood clots, mood swings, hormonal acne, and depression (depending on the pill, of course).  But what if the side effects said: potentially you will attract the wrong partner? Or if you go off the pill you may no longer be attracted to your partner at all? What if the uptick in divorce the last century was partially correlated with the use of birth control--women going on it in their late teens and going off when having children only to find out that actually they don't find their partner appealing? 

Attracting the Wrong Partner

Studies showed that women on birth control tend to pick men with a similar genetic profile, more specifically men with the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) which is found via the sense of smell. Naturally women look for men who are dissimilar to their MHC as it is biologically desirable since offspring with dissimilar profiles have higher survival rates. However women's bodies, when using birth control, believe they are pregnant and thus they look for men with similar MHC profiles as pregnancy induces a bodily desire for safety.

Pheromones and Attractiveness

So what exactly are pheromones? Pheromones are chemicals released by the body which attract people. In those taking hormonal birth control, women's pheromones may be suppressed making them less attractive (aside from changing how attractive they find their partners). An interesting study published in the Independent does a little test on men with synthetic vaginal pheromones to determine a women's attractiveness with and without them: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/british-psychological-society-sex-appeal-it-s-all-down-to-smell-1191897.html To summarise the article's findings it shows that women are more attractive to men when pheromones are at play. t's fascinating to understand how pheromones play a role in how men find women attractive. 

What to do if your Sexual Desire Might have Decreased from Birth Control

 Try a consultation to see if our  Low Libido treatment is right for you. We offer treatments for low desire specifically formulated with women's needs in mind to help increase blood flow to the clitoris, relaxing the vaginal muscles, and easing the flow of blood through the arteries. Check out our treatment page to learn more about it: https://shecanhealth.com/collections/sexual-healthcare