High contraceptive failure rate of rhythm method: Possible involvement of pheromones

Abstract

The rhythm method of birth control is a type of natural family planning and one of the practiced methods of contraception used by many couples through out the world. Couples who opt for contraception abstain from sex during the fertile period of women. The principle of this method is based on the knowledge of the life span of sperm ovum and the time of ovulation. Though the approximate time of ovulation can be calculated based on the duration of womens last menstrual cycle it is still subjected to individual variations. Hence the failure rates reported on this contraceptive method is comparatively higher than other methods available. Pheromones are airborne chemical signals released by an organism into the environment which can affect the physiological and behavioral responses of other organisms of the same species. Researchers have identified the presence of pheromones in human sweat urine and mucous secretions from the genitals. McClintock effect is a classical example which once again proves the presence of human pheromones and its influence. Olfactory mucosa is considered to be the major receptive area through which pheromones mediates their actions in humans. Altered behavioral responses were studied in women who are exposed to male pheromones. Pheromones also have strong influence in the modulation of ovulation in women. Considering the above findings we hypothesize that the presence of male pheromones which will be released from the bodily secretions of male partner at the time of sexual intercourse might be a cause for reducing the ovulation time in the female partner their by causing an early ovulation in her. This might result in high chances of fertilization. This pheromone interplay which alters the ovulation time in females could be one of the possible reasons of high failure rate observed in rhythm method of contraception. Just by knowing the time of ovulation it may not be sufficient enough to prevent pregnancy. It must be always coupled with other tests for the detection of ovulation. How much or to what extend pheromones influence the human nervous system functioning is of considerable interest. (full-text)