Alphabetical Index of Articles on Women's Sexual, Pelvic Floor, and Reproductive Health

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – pelvic pain isn’t in your head, it’s in your muscles.

But could it also be in your birth control?

That’s one of many questions a team of scientists from the European Society of Sexual Medicine set out to answer recently by taking a comprehensive look at the current body of research on how hormonal contraception can affect female sexuality.

Sadly, the first takeaway is no surprise. We need more research – a lot more. And of all the different facets of female sexuality they examined, pelvic floor and urological symptoms got the least attention from the scientific community.

Communicating with your partner about your sexuality may reduce your pelvic pain and increase your sexual function.

A 2016 study by McNicoll et al. suggests that Sexual Assertiveness,or the ability to communicate openly to your partner about your sexual experience, may reduce the pain experienced with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), increase sexual function, and encourage your partner to communicate you in ways that help boost your sexual health.

How Sexual Assertiveness May Reduce Your Pain

Pelvic pain and pain with sex may come from several different avenues, including vaginismus, vulvodynia, vestibulodynia, endometriosis, or tissue changes caused by menopause. The 2016 study by McNicoll et al. specifically worked with women with provoked vestibulodynia.