The Association Between Discontinuing Hormonal Contraceptives and Wives’ Marital Satisfaction Depends on Husbands’ Facial Attractiveness

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Levi R. Baker, Assistant Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: How are hormonal contraceptives (HCs) related to marital wellbeing? Some work suggests HCssuppress biological processes associated with women’s preferences for partner qualitiesreflective of genetic fitness, qualities that may be summarized by facial attractiveness. Given thatrealizing such interpersonal preferences positively predicts relationship satisfaction, any changesin women’s preferences associated with changes in their HC use may interact with partner facialattractiveness to predict women’s relationship satisfaction. We tested this possibility using twolongitudinal studies of 118 newlywed couples. Trained observers objectively rated husbands’facial attractiveness in both studies. In study 1, wives reported their marital satisfaction every6mo for 4 y and then reported the history of their HC use for their relationship. In study 2, wivesreported whether they were using HCs when they met their husbands and then their maritalsatisfaction and HC use every 4 mo for up to three waves. In both studies, and in an analysis thatcombined the data from both studies, wives who were using HCs when they formed theirrelationship with their husband were less satisfied with their marriage when they discontinuedHCs if their husband had a relatively less attractive face, but more satisfied if their husband had arelatively more attractive face. Beginning HCs demonstrated no consistent associations withmarital satisfaction. Incongruency between HC use at relationship formation and current HC usewas negatively associated with sexual satisfaction, regardless of husbands’ facial attractiveness.These findings suggest that HC use may have unintended implications for women’s closerelationships.

Additional Information

Publication
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(48), 17081–17086.
Language: English
Date: 2014

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