Oral contraceptive use and female genital arousal: methodological considerations
Seal, B.N.; Brotto, L.A.; Gorzalka, B.B.
Journal of Sex Research 42(3): 249-258
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-4499 PMID: 19817038 DOI: 10.1080/00224490509552279Document Number: 276647
This study explored effects of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use on physiological sexual arousal as measured by a vaginal photoplethysmograph. Sixteen women aged 18-29 viewed audiovisual neutral and erotic stimuli before and an average of 6 weeks following the onset of OCP use. Although subjective measures of sexual arousal, including perceptions of genital arousal, significantly increased in response to erotic stimuli both before and after OCP onset, physiological sexual arousal only increased before OCP use. A comparison of individual responses before and after OCP onset reveals a much higher degree of intrasubject variability after OCP onset. We discuss these findings as they relate to OCP use as a confounding methodological variable to consider in future investigations employing vaginal photoplethysmography.