Birth Control Pills May Impair Women's Mate Selection
Birth Control Pills May Impair Women's Mate Selection: Study
Taking birth control pills may hinder a woman's ability to select a genetically compatible mate, say researchers at the University of Newcastle in England.
Normally, women's sense of smell instinctively leads them to men with a dissimilar genetic makeup -- a union that improves the likelihood of successful conception and healthy children.
However, this study of 100 women found that the use of birth control pills disrupted the capacity to sniff out a suitable partner, Agence France Presse reported.
"The results showed that the preferences of women who began using the contraceptive pill shifted toward men with genetically similar odors," said team leader Craig Roberts. This can lead to relationship problems in the long term, he suggested.
"It could ultimately lead to the breakdown of relationships when women stop using the contraceptive pills, as odor perception plays a significant role in maintaining attraction to partners," said Roberts, AFP reported.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science.
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