Women who are on the pill when they pick a mate end up with longer-lasting relationships than those who are not. The downside? Less satisfaction in the sack, apparently.

Studies show that women on the pill are attracted to different men than when they are not on the pill. One explanation is that because the pill simulates pregnancy, women tend to head for traits associated with fidelity.

Now the effects of these choices have been tested for the first time outside the lab. Craig Roberts from the University of Stirling, UK, and colleagues surveyed 1000 women who had been taking the pill when they met their partner and 1500 who were not. All of the women had at least one child with this partner.

The team measured the women’s levels of sexual and general relationship satisfaction, as well as how long the relationship lasted.


Women on the pill when they met their partner were significantly less sexually satisfied, but reported higher levels of general satisfaction in the relationship, such as financial support and partner loyalty. They were also more likely to stay together.

During fertile cycle phases, women seek out traits such as masculine faces, which are associated with good genes but also infidelity. Because women on the pill don’t have such hormone shifts they may be more sensitive to traits which lead to longer relationships, says Roberts.

Journal reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1647