Sexual well-being plays key role in contraceptive use
February 2026. A global review published in October 2025, highlights the important role sexual well-being plays in whether people continue using contraception.
Drawing on data from 64 studies conducted between 2004 and 2023, the research found that around 5% of people who stopped using contraception—despite still wanting to prevent pregnancy —did so because of concerns related to their sex lives. These concerns included decreased libido, discomfort during sex, and worries about how a method might affect a partner’s sexual experience.
While 5% may appear modest, researchers note that sexual concerns are as common a reason for discontinuing contraception as cost or lack of access—yet they receive far less research attention.
The findings underscore that sexual well-being is not a secondary consideration in contraceptive care. Instead, it is central to whether a method is acceptable and sustainable for users. The authors recommend that future research and clinical practice more consistently address the sexual acceptability of contraceptive methods.
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- Mirela Zaneva, Nandita Thatte, Anne Philpott, Clara Maliwa, Rhiana Mills
& Lianne Gonsalves (2025) The sex effect: the prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation. A systematic review and meta-analysis, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 33:1, 2552589, DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2025.2552589 - People Stop Using Contraception When It Stops Them Having Good Sex: systematic review synopsis, by The Pleasure Project