Love woes can be blamed on contraceptive pill: research
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If you are having relationship problems, you might be able to blame it on the contraceptive pill.
New research from the University of Liverpool in Britain shows taking the pill can lead women to choose the wrong partner - and lead to all sorts of problems when they stop.
It is not a beautiful face or buffed body that draws men and women to each other. Instead researchers believe people choose partners based on body odour, with women attracted to men who have a different scent and immune system to themselves.
Now new British research finds that taking the contraceptive pill actually disrupts that process.
"So what this research is showing us is that when women take birth control pills they start to prefer scent of men with the same immune systems that they have," Professor Bill Von Hippel, from the University of Queensland said.
One hundred women chose which of six male body odours they preferred out of nearly 100 samples.
Their choices were monitored before and after they started taking the pill.
Researchers say having a mate with a similar scent can lead a range of problems..
"If women marry men with the same immune system they have, their offspring will have weaker immune systems, because they don't gain the advantage of two different immunities," Professor Von Hippel said.
And it could mean women find their partners less attractive when they stop taking the pill.
"Women going on the pill could be increasing divorce rates," Professor Von Hippel said.
But some Australian experts are not convinced that it is only smell that maketh the man.
"It's initial appearance, attractiveness, sexuality personality intelligence all these factors play a part," Dr Edith Weisberg, director of research at Family Planning New South Wales said.
And that is nothing to be sniffed at.
The research was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Academy.
