The burden of contraception largely falls on women’s shoulders, but a study has shown how the side-effects of taking it can jeopardise relationships.
The list of possible side-effects when taking hormonal contraception is endless, from increased risk of some types of cancer, headaches, mood swings, blood clots and countless other issues.
Of course, contraception also has huge advantages too. It protects from unwanted pregnancy, can help manage conditions like endometriosis, and regulates periods.
But when these side effects begin to impact your love life with your significant other, women can be faced with a difficult choice to change or ditch contraception.
Stowe Family Law conducted a survey of women across the UK to find out the effects of hormonal contraceptives on their marriages or relationships.
A staggering 87% of women said that contraception affected their physical and/or mental wellbeing.
Nearly a quarter of women said their relationship ended as a result of taking hormonal contraception, with nearly half of those initiating the split.
Hormones can make a drastic difference to your emotional state and this difference could be good or bad. In this instance, how women surveyed felt on and off contraception about certain things varied greatly.
Over half of women had come off of, or switched to, a different contraceptive because of the impact side effects had on their relationship.
A lack of physical intimacy and attraction to their partner were two key issues women felt were caused by their hormonal contraception.
It’s no wonder then, that three quarters of women fear that changes caused by hormonal contraception will have a negative impact on a future relationship.
But could women’s fears about the impact of contraception of their relationships be because they don’t feel supported enough by their partners?
Possibly. Nearly a quarter of women said their partner does not understand the physical and emotional struggles caused by their hormones.
Well over half of women said that more awareness of symptoms, a better understanding from their partners, and more support from GPs, would help them deal with the impact it had on their relationships.
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