Taking contraceptives can do more than just prevent pregnancy. Hormonal pills can also clear the skin, ease painful periods, and affect mood. According to a new study, the type of birth control pills we use can affect the frequency of orgasms we get. A research team from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of New Mexico studied 387 women who used contraceptive medication and had heterosexual intercourse. Some of the participants were followed over a 12-week period and asked how often they had sex, while others filled out a one-time questionnaire about frequency in the past week. The participants were also asked to what extent they were bound and what type of tablets were used. It turns out that women who feel most connected to their partners have the most sex when they take birth control pills with higher levels of progestin and lower levels of a form of estrogen known as estradiol. On the other hand, women who felt less bound had sex more often when taking birth control pills with low levels of progestin and higher levels of estrogen. NEWS_MORE_BOX Hormonal differences only affect frequency of intercourse, but not oral sex, masturbation, or sexual fantasies. The data supports the theory that couples are “pushed” to have sex when the woman is not ovulating because it brings them closer emotionally. The results also support the idea that hormones, whether natural or synthetic, can affect libido. Data from the study is published in the pages of Evolution & Human Behavior.