This ground-breaking study survey involved over 2519 women (1005 on the Pill vs. 1514 not on the Pill when they met their partner) from the the United States, Czech Republic, Britain and Canada who had had at least one child says the AFP article written by Agence France-Presse. Overseen by Craig Roberts of Stirling University, Scotland, the survey hoped to answer the question of whether or not the hormones in the Pill affected a choice of mate. This is the second study in which Roberts has focused on effects of the Pill. Previously, he investigated whether it altered a woman’s sense of smell, or more specifically their body odor preference in men. [Who funds this stuff?]
So how does Roberts and his colleagues come to the conclusion that the Pill alters attraction? Well, they asked. “The volunteers were asked to rate their relationship for general satisfaction and sexual pleasure and the attractiveness of their partner or, retrospectively, of their ex.” Thirty percent of the respondents were no longer with their partner/spouse. I think we can assume that group said their ex was ugly and bad in bed. Roberts doesn’t offer actual numbers, he just says, “Such women [on the Pill] may, on average, be less satisfied with the sexual aspects of their relationship but more so with non-sexual aspects.”
BUT “Overall, women who met their partner on the Pill had longer relationships — by two years on average — and were less likely to separate.”
Huh?
Women on the Pill aren’t satisfied with the sexual and non-sexual (pretty much everything) aspects of a relationship, but they stay longer and are less likely to separate. Even more convoluted, AFP quotes the study’s notes, “Women who used oral contraception when they met their partner tended to find him less attractive, engaged in compliant sex and rejected sexual advances more frequently as the relationship progressed, and were more likely to initiate separation if it occurred.”
“Compliant sex?” They rejected advances and were the first to initiate separation, but complied with sex. The study is sloppy at best, convoluted at worst and ridiculous on all fronts.
Roberts believes the Pill alters brain chemistry. I think Roberts may be taking it. His final warning? See below:
“To women who are mistrustful of what their body [their body or their mind?] is telling them, going off the Pill and using a condom could help provide the answer, suggests Roberts. ‘Choosing a non-hormonal barrier method of contraception for a few months before getting married might be one way for a woman to check or reassure herself that she’s still attracted to her partner.'”
I assume the study was funded by a condom manufacturer.
