Can birth control pills cause vaginal dryness? At certain times of the month it becomes almost impossible to have sex, due to the discomfort.

Yes, most definitely, oral contraceptives can cause vaginal dryness. A lot of couples who start out using foam and condoms or a method that involves a gel of some kind, are surprised that sex can be pretty dry (no pun intended) when they change to the pill. Of course, the true cause of inadequate lubrication is the lack of female stimulation or lack of time taken in lovemaking.

If you like the pill and wish to stay on it, you may find your lubrication improves with time. Use of a water soluble lubricant such as KY jelly, Astroglide or Slippery Stuff may be helpful.

The pill actually has less estrogen than our own bodies would produce on average. It does not allow for the peaks and valleys of our own production. Therefore it almost simulates a menopausal state.

Most pills today contain a 20, 30 or 35 microgram dose of estrogen and 1 mg or 5 mg of a progestin. If you are on a 20 mcg pill, (ethinyl estradiol), you may benefit from changing to a 35 mcg pill. If you are currently on a 35 mcg pill, you may benefit from a 50 mcg pill for a few months or a bit of oral estrogen for a few days a month for a short time.