Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Coital Rates and the Pill

Nature volume 234, pages 555–556 (1971)Cite this article

Abstract

Udry and Morris1 suggested that oral contraceptives abolish the depression in coital rates characteristic of the second half of the menstrual cycle in women not using these drugs. They speculate that this may be due to the absence (because ovulation has been suppressed) of a luteal surge of progesterone. I should like to comment first on this putative explanation and second on the support given by Udry and Morris's data for their contention.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Udry, J. R., and Morris, N. M., Nature, 227, 502 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Carter, A. C., Cohen, E. J., and Shorr, E., Vitamins and Hormones, 5, 317 (1947).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Udry, J. R., and Morris, N. M., Nature, 220, 593 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McCance, R. A., Luff, M. C., and Widdowson, E. E., J. Hygiene, 37, 571 (1937).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. James, W. H., J. Biosocial Sci., 3, 159 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Westoff, C. F., Bumpass, L., and Ryder, N., Social Biol., 16, 1 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rice-Wray, E., Schulz-Contreras, M., Guerrerro, I., and Aranda-Rosell, A., J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 180, 355 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Guttmacher, A., and Perkin, G., quoted by Glick, I., Psychopharmacologia, 10, 363 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Tyler, E. T., Olson, H. J., Wolf, L., Finkelstein, S., Thayer, J., Kaplan, N., Lewin, M., and Weintraub, J., Obstet. Gynec., 18, 363 (1961).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Goldzieher et al. (1963), quoted by Glick, I., Psychopharmacologia, 10, 363 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Behrman, S., Obstet. Gynec., 24, 101 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Rovinsky, J., Obstet. Gynec., 23, 840 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Nilsson, L., and Solvell, L., Acta Obstet. Gynec. Scand., 46, Suppl. 8 (1967).

  14. Ringrose, C., Canad. Med. Assoc. J., 92, 1207 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rice-Wray, E., and Aranda-Rosell, A., Fertility and Sterility, 14, 402 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Mears, E., and Grant, E. C. G., Brit. Med. J., 2, 75 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Herzberg, B. N., Draper, K. C., Johnson, A. L., and Nicol, G. C., Brit. Med. J., 3, 495 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Grant, E. C. G., and Mears, E., Lancet, ii, 945 (1967).

  19. Grant, E. C. G., and Pryse-Davies, J., Brit. Med. J., 3, 777 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Grounds, D., Davies, B., Mowbray, R., Brit. J. Psychiat., 116, 169 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Marcotte, D. B., Kane, F. J., Obrist, P., and Lipton, M. A., Brit. J. Psychiat., 116, 165 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kane, F. J., Daly, R. J., Ewing, J. A., and Keeler, M. H., Brit. J. Psychiat., 113, 265 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Huffer, V., Levin, L., and Aronson, H., J. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 151, 35 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. West, J., Brit. Med. J., 4, 187 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kane, F. J., quoted by Kane, F. J., Lipton, M. M., and Ewing, J. A., Arch. Gen. Psychiat., 20, 202 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Nilsson, A., Jacobson, A. L., and Ingemanson, C.-A., Acta Obstet. Gynec. Scand., 46, 537 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Herzberg, B., and Coppen, A., Brit. J. Psychiat., 116, 161 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Herzberg, B., Johnson, A. L., and Brown, S., Brit. Med. J., 4, 142 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Herzberg, B., Johnson, A. L., and Brown, S., Lancet, i, 775 (1970).

  30. Herzberg, B., Brit. Med. J., 4, 555 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Anon, Nature, 226, 869 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., and Martin, C. E., Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, 307 (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1948).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C. E., and Gebhard, P. H., Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, 350 (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1953).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Galton Laboratory, University College, London, WC1

    WILLIAM H. JAMES

Authors
  1. WILLIAM H. JAMES
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

JAMES, W. Coital Rates and the Pill. Nature 234, 555–556 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234555a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/234555a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing