Objective: This report examines, on an epidemiological basis, the extent to which use of oral contraceptives (OC) is correlated with dyspareunia. Methods: Among a nationally representative sample of 1335 Swedish women aged 18-74 who participated in a combined interview/questionnaire investigation focusing on their sex life, all 851 (mean age 34±10.0 yrs) pre-menopausal and sexually active were selected. Besides socio-demographic data, use and type of contraceptive at their last heterosexual intercourse was reported. Prevalence and degree of dyspareunia and of dyspareunic distress were reported along a 6-graded answering scale: Always/Nearly always/Rather often during the last year = Manifest; Rather rarely/Hardly ever = Mild; Never = No dysfunction/distress. Results: Sixty-nine percent had had intercourse during the preceding week, 17% within 4 weeks and the remaining 14% within one year prior to the investigation. Mean recalled number of penetrative episodes during the preceding 30 days was 6 (range 0-50). 94% had not wanted pregnancy at their last intercourse. Of those 5% who had manifest dyspareunia 70% had manifest and 23% mild dyspareunic distress. The corresponding proportions of distress for the 36% with mild dyspareunia were 2% and 56%. Among the 497 women who had used contraceptives at their last intercourse, 40% used an OC. This group had significantly greater prevalence of both manifest and mild dyspareunia than had users of other on no contraceptives. Logistic regression demonstrated 2.5 and 1.5 fold greater likelihoods for OC-users vs non-users to be manifestly and mildly dyspareunic. Younger women (£34 yrs) had used OC more often, had had more penetrative episodes and had higher prevalence of dyspareunia that the ³35 yrs old. Conclusion: In Swedish women, in particular relatively younger ones, use of oral contraceptives is linked with dyspareunia. A need for information on the possibility of oral contraceptive-associated dyspareunia seems pertinent.
Conflict of Interest: None disclosed
Financial Support/Funding: None disclosed
Recorded: Sydney, Australia, April 2007
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