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Contraceptives affect partner choice
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
Swiss scientists have drawn attention to the following pattern: those women who prefer oral contraceptives choose less masculine partners as their life partners than those who use other types of contraceptives or do not use them at all.
After the experts had made the above conclusions, it only remained to find out the reasons that could cause such preferences in women. Some scientists have suggested that women who take oral contraceptives have a subconscious desire to connect their lives with a reliable and stable person. Previous studies have shown that it is precisely such men who, at first glance, may seem effeminate, shy and soft. It seems strange that women who do not plan to have children (otherwise there is no need to take contraceptives) pay close attention to the reliability of their partner.
Many people mistakenly believe that strong arms, masculine facial features and a well-defined body relief should appeal to every woman. It turned out that not every representative of the fair sex wants to see a bright and even brutal man next to her. Studies have shown that women who regularly take oral contraceptives pay attention to men who can be called effeminate. Scientists associate this pattern with the fact that men who are not the owners of a bright and memorable appearance are calmer and more stable in everyday life. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that recognized handsome men strive to constantly attract the attention of women, thereby confirming their status. At the same time, effeminate and simply nice men can easily limit themselves to one woman and do not suffer from a lack of fans.
In order to check what kind of men women taking birth control pills like, Swiss scientists conducted a small experiment. A group of women aged 18 to 35 was selected, among whom were both fans of oral contraceptives and those who did not use protection or used condoms.
The experiment involved showing women images of young men of different appearances and asking them to rate their attractiveness. Initially, the participants in the experiment rated the men's appearance in terms of overall attractiveness and the possibility of short-term or long-term relationships. It turned out that those women who took hormonal contraceptives chose men with less masculine facial features (thin lips and nose, narrow jaw). Experts suggest that taking hormonal contraceptives can affect perception and sympathy towards other people. Previous studies conducted by scientists from the United States showed that women most often choose more masculine and rough men during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle.
In any case, such experiments have only fueled scientists' interest in hormonal drugs. In their opinion, if birth control pills can influence women's taste preferences, the study of their components should be approached more seriously.
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