How will ObamaCare change choices?

• Position: Birth Control

Today's hormonal forms of birth control differ vastly from those used by earlier generations of women, with lower levels of hormones and alternate means of delivery (not just a pill), but many of the same problems related to sexual pleasure remain. A study at Indiana University, Bloomington---examining how new forms of hormonal contraception affect things such as arousal, lubrication, and orgasm--found that birth control still could hamper important aspects of sexuality despite the family planning benefits and convenience.

"Contraception in general is a wonderful way for women to plan their families," notes Nicole Smith, project coordinator at the Center for Sexual Health Promotion. "It's something women are often on for as many as 30 years or more. If they're experiencing these negative effects, they might stop using contraception correctly or altogether. They need to know that there are options--such as lubricants or other sexual enhancement products--that may help to alleviate some of the negative effects they are experiencing.

The study involved sexually active females split almost evenly between those using a hormonal form of contraception, such as the pill, patch, ring, or shot, and those women employing a nonhormonal form, such as a condom...