The birth control pill can alter the attractiveness that a woman sees in a man; This is stated in a new study carried out by researchers from the State University of Florida (USA). According to the work, this consequence disappears when hormonal treatment is suspended , so it could affect the future satisfaction of women if they choose their partners while already under the effects of the pill.
To reach this conclusion, the experts examined 18 newlywed couples over 4 years , during which only women were interviewed, with questions about contraceptive use or their level of marital satisfaction. The results showed that women who used hormonal contraceptives when meeting their current partners, experienced a reduction in their level of marital satisfaction after stopping treatment, either to seek pregnancy or for another reason. Specifically, the most salient aspect of this change was that women viewed their partners much less attractive and felt less satisfied with their marriage .
“Many forms of hormonal contraception weaken the hormonal processes associated with preferences for facial attractiveness. Consequently, women who start their relationship when they are using hormonal contraceptives and then stop taking them may begin to prioritize signs of genetic fitness , such as their husbands’ facial attractiveness, to a greater degree than when they were taking hormonal contraceptives, ”explains Michelle Russell. , study leader.
Taking contraceptives after starting a relationship did not seem to echo these parameters . “The research provides additional information on the possible influences of hormonal contraceptives on relationships, but it is too early to give practical advice regarding women’s family planning decisions,” says Russell.
The study has been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS).
