The influence of oral hormonal contraceptive use on female sexuality in the evolutionary perspective
Abstract
In laboratory conditions, the use of oral contraceptives (OC) has been shown to disrupt mate preferences (e.g. for masculinity and genetic dissimilarity) that are considered to be adaptive in naturally of men with higher long-term relationship qualities in conjunction with higher frequency of mate-retention behaviour observed in OC users (e.g. higher frequency of dyadic sexual activities, suppressed infidelity tendencies) can override the negatives of OC influenced mate preferences. cycling women. The consequence of OC influenced mate choice on relationship satisfaction and durability in an ecological context has been extensively debated.
However, there is only limited empirical support for these speculations. The stability of long-term couples, who met under the influence of OC use, has not been studied in an ecological context.
We can only assume that OC use influences cognitive aspects of attractiveness ratings. OC users were found to give lower value to such sexual attractiveness of male stimuli which was associated with genetic quality and compatibility in comparison with normally cycling women in their follicular phase.
However, the evaluation of male stimuli with the cues of higher parental and relationship qualities did not differ from ratings of normally cycling women. Results of recent studies accomplished outside the laboratory context suggest, that the bias in mate choice towards the preferences