The Implications of Hormonal Contraceptive Use on Relationship Dynamics: Testing a Disputed Effect

Abstract

Approximately 874 million women of reproductive age use modern contraceptive methods. Despite their prevalence, the impact of contraceptives on women’s mate preferences and romantic relationships remains debated. Research suggests that women have evolved mating adaptations sensitive to hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle, but exogenous hormones in contraceptives could disrupt these preferences, potentially affecting relationship dynamics. Methodological flaws in previous research have contributed to this ongoing ambiguity. This thesis aims to clarify these contradictions and address the methodological limitations in earlier studies. Four studies were conducted. The first investigated whether variations in facial stimuli used in previous research could have contributed to contradictory findings between contraceptive use and facial masculinity preferences; results indicated that these variations likely account for the inconsistencies, calling into question the generalisability of studies using facial stimuli sets when investigating masculinity preferences. The second study examined whether sample characteristics could explain the conflicting results related to the congruency hypothesis; that is, whether a woman's current contraceptive use aligns with her contraceptive use at the onset of a relationship. The findings indicated that variations in sample characteristics could account for these discrepancies. The third study explored whether hormonal contraceptives should be tailored to body weight, as lighter women might experience relatively pervasive relationship satisfaction issues for a given dosage. It specifically examined BMI's mediating role between estrogen dosage and relationship satisfaction. The final study employed a longitudinal design to assess whether increasing awareness of contraceptive side effects could improve couples’ relationship satisfaction. Although these studies did not support their hypotheses, the results were likely influenced by methodological limitations, warranting further research with larger samples. The findings highlight the need for further research due to significant real-world implications. Ensuring women are fully informed about the risks and benefits of contraceptive options is essential for their well-being and relationships.