What happens to your sex drive after quitting hormonal birth control?

A lower sex drive is a well-known side effect of hormonal birth control (HBC), and it’s also one of the most common reasons why women stop using their contraception. However, there’s a knowledge gap in the scientific literature about what happens to sex drive when discontinuing HBC. 

In this study, the Natural Cycles Research Team together with Sarah Hill, professor and researcher in women's psychology and health, set out to investigate just that — whether sex drive and attraction toward a partner change in the months after stopping HBC. Since the synthetic hormones disrupt natural hormonal fluctuations, the study also aimed to shine a light on whether these changes were related to the natural menstrual cycle returning.

Two in-app surveys were sent to new Cyclers in the US who had very recently stopped HBC and consented to participate in research. They got the first survey when they started with Natural Cycles, and a second follow-up survey was sent three months later. In total, 1,596 Cyclers responded to the first survey, and 550 responded to the second.  

Both surveys asked the Cyclers to rate their sexual desire at the time of the survey and in the last few weeks, as well as how attracted they felt to their partner. In the second survey, they were also asked if they had noticed any changes in sexual desire or partner attraction after stopping HBC and since the last survey. 

The results showed that, on average, sex drive increased during the first three months after starting Natural Cycles. This change was also linked to the menstrual cycle returning — Cyclers whose menstrual cycle had already come back by the time the first survey was sent had a higher sex drive at that time compared to those whose cycle hadn’t yet returned. In addition, Cyclers whose menstrual cycle returned between the two surveys saw a significant increase in sex drive in that time period. 

In addition, the data in this study suggests that the increase in sex drive is most significant in the first three cycles after quitting hormonal birth control. As always when looking at a large group, there were also individual differences – 44.8% saw an increase in sex drive from the first survey to the second survey three months later, while 27.1% had no change, and 28.1% saw a decreased sex drive.  

When looking at how attractive Cyclers found their partner, this also increased on average during the first three months after starting Natural Cycles. However, this was not linked with the menstrual cycle returning.

In summary, this study highlights that both sex drive and attraction towards a partner typically increase in the months after quitting HBC. This study focused on a group of NC° users who had already stopped HBC and chosen a non-hormonal alternative, meaning the results might not be representative of all women. Those who experience side effects, such as low sex drive, are more likely to switch to another method and may be more prone to notice changes in their sex drive after stopping HBC. However, the results help bridge the knowledge gap around birth control side effects and what to expect when switching to a non-hormonal method.