New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that women who start or stop hormone birth control during a relationship experience a drop in sexual satisfaction, according to Live Science. Newly married women tend to find their husbands less attractive once they stop taking contraception.
Yikes.
"Given that women [tend to] prioritize attractiveness differently when they are on versus off [hormonal contraceptives], I thought that going on or off [hormonal contraceptives] should affect how happy they are with their partner," said study leader and Florida State University graduate student Michelle Russell, according to Live Science.
The progesterone and estrogen in hormonal contraceptives affect women's fertility, so hormone fluctuations affect what women look for in an ideal mate, according to Live Science. Studies conducted in the past suggested that women who are ovulating (not on birth control) prefer more masculine-looking mates, but according to Live Science, that theory is still controversial.
So, if a woman stops taking the pill, looks at her husband and realizes he isn't all that, she is going to be disappointed that he doesn't have the handsome face of other men she sees. If a woman stops taking the pill and her husband is a hottie, she will experience a boost at having made a good choice in a mate.
"Marital satisfaction is strongly associated with mental and physical health and a host of physical, mental and social outcomes for children," Russell said, according to The Guardian."The fact that wives' hormonal contraceptive use was linked to their marital satisfaction suggests that hormonal contraceptives may have far-reaching implications, both beneficial and harmful."
Hormonal contraception was used by 17 percent of all U.S. women ages 15 to 44 in 2010, according to Live Science. An additional five percent used another form of birth control, besides the pill (like hormone injections, a patch or a vaginal ring).
