Table 1. Sample characteristics: Hormonal levels and questionnaires.

	nC-L	nC-F	C	nC-L vs. nC-Fp	nC-L vs. Cp	nC-F vs. Cp
Estrogen (ng/L)	182.8 (49.9)	39.1 (12.7)	<5	<0.001	–	–
Progesterone (µg/L)	13.1 (7.2)	0.52 (0.29)	0.29 (0.16)	<0.001	<0.001	0.03
MGH-SFQ	2.4 (0.82)	2.5 (0.45)	2.7 (0.89)	0.72	0.52	0.67
Erotic picture ratings	6.1 (1.2)	6.2 (1.5)	5.1 (2.0)	0.67	0.15	0.14
Non-erotic picture ratings	1.4 (0.33)	1.3 (0.32)	1.2 (0.22)	0.50	0.24	0.46
ADS	6.5 (2.2)		5.9 (3.9)	–	0.63

Values are means and standard deviations (in rounded brackets) of serum estrogen and progesterone levels, subjective ratings of sexual dysfunction as assessed by the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (MGH-SFQ), subjective ratings of erotic and non-erotic pictures as presented during fMRI (visual analogue scale 1–9 with 1: not sexually arousing at all, 9: very sexually arousing) and symptoms of depression as measured with the ADS scale in the group taking contraceptives (C) and in the group without contraceptives during the follicular (nC-F) or luteal (nC-L) phase of the menstrual cycle; p: significance of group differences computed from paired and unpaired t-tests.