A new contraceptive pill, which the first to contain a natural form of oestrogen, may also boost women's sex drive. An international trial is to be conducted to determine this. Family Planning NSW's research centre, the Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick and the University of Adelaide are among those taking part in the trial to see if the Qlaira pill can increase women's libido.
The study will also determine if the pill reduces period pain and headaches.
The findings of the study will not be available until next year, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.
This pill is the first to contain oestradiol, the same oestrogen produced by the female body.
Although produced in a laboratory, when the oestradiol is metabolised it is identical to the naturally produced female sex hormone.
Later this year, manufacturers Bayer Schering Pharma will market the pill to Australian woman. It is already available in the US, Europe and Britain.
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It has also been developed to correlate more closely to a woman's natural cycle.
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The natural oestrogen is also thought to help women who get PMT symptoms, such as irritability and moodiness, while on the pill.
Source-ANI