Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40997771›Full record

SynthesisSexual and reproductive health matters2025

The sex effect: the prevalence of sex life reasons for contraceptive discontinuation. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mirela Zaneva, Nandita Thatte, Anne Philpott, Clara Maliwa, Rhiana Mills, Lianne Gonsalves

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Sexual and reproductive health matters, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mirela ZanevaJunior Research Fellow, Christ Church College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3569-931X
Nandita ThatteTechnical Officer, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-9953-9150
Anne PhilpottFounder and Co-Director, The Pleasure Project, Shaftesbury, UK. Correspondence: anne@thepleasureproject.org.ORCID 0000-0003-1364-211X
Clara MaliwaProgram Coordinator, The Young and Alive Initiative, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; Gender Coordination Specialist, UNDP Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.ORCID 0009-0000-4040-4550
Rhiana MillsPleasure Fellow, The Pleasure Project; Researcher, SH:24, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-4268-0257
Lianne GonsalvesScientist, UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-2409-5043

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The ability to have sex without having an unintended pregnancy is a key motivator for contraceptive use, yet factors related to patients' sexual lives are critically understudied in contraceptive decision-making. We report the first systematic review and meta-analysis examining the extent to which a contraceptive method's effect on a satisfying sexual life results in contraception discontinuation or switching. We searched for relevant qualitative and quantitative literature published during 2004-2023 in 9 databases and included 64 studies, comprising a total of 125,586 participants and corresponding to at least 52,705 discontinuers in need, aged 12-54 and surveyed in clinical or public health settings in diverse global contexts. Our main outcome measures were discontinuation or switching of modern contraceptive methods (excluding condoms) while in need. A meta-analysis of 25 studies indicated that sex life concerns as a reason for contraceptive discontinuation have an overall prevalence of 5% (95% CI: 0.03, 0.08;

Indexed as

ContraceptionContraception BehaviorSexual BehaviorAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPregnancy, UnplannedPrevalenceYoung Adultcontraceptionmethod acceptabilityreproductive healthsexual lifesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40997771
PMCPMC12557827

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.