Consequences of using hormonal contraception during partner choice
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Stirling
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Little AC
(2013)
Oral contraceptive use in women changes preferences for male facial masculinity and is associated with partner facial masculinity.
in Psychoneuroendocrinology
Roberts K
(2023)
Testing effects of partner support and use of oral contraception during relationship formation on severity of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
in BMC pregnancy and childbirth
Roberts SC
(2014)
Oral contraception and romantic relationships: from the lab to the real world
in Human Ethology Bulletin
Roberts SC
(2014)
Partner choice, relationship satisfaction, and oral contraception: the congruency hypothesis.
in Psychological science
Roberts SC
(2012)
Relationship satisfaction and outcome in women who meet their partner while using oral contraception.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Roberts SC
(2013)
An evolutionary approach offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between oral contraception and sexual desire.
in Archives of sexual behavior
Roberts SC
(2014)
Oral contraceptives and sexual desire: replies to Graham and Bancroft (2013) and Puts and Pope (2013).
in Archives of sexual behavior
| Description | Study 1: Amongst the couples sampled at the Glasgow Science Centre, we first investigated measures of relationship satisfaction. We found a significant interaction between pill use when the couple met and current use, such that women who met on the pill and were still on the pill reported being more satisfied in sexual aspects of their relationship than those who had been on the pill but since stopped; in contrast, congruency between current and former pill use had little effect on former non-users. Measures of non-sexual satisfaction, and male partner's perception, were unaltered. Patterns of pill use thus alter relationship outcome, but downstream effects are especially prevalent in women who meet on pill. We aim to submit a paper provisionally titled "Oral contraceptive use during partner choice: congruency between past and current use predicts subsequent relationship satisfaction" to Biology Letters. We then examined an age-matched sample of 170 of these couples, in half of which women reported either using or not using the pill when the partnership was formed. In forced choice tests, the partners of women who were non-users during choice were perceived as more masculine than partners of users. Computer graphic tests based on shape differences and facial measurements supported this finding. Overall, this study provides evidence that pill use during partner choice influences partner appearance. We will submit a paper provisionally titled "Oral contraceptive use in women alters mate preferences and mate selection" to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Study 2: During the first year of marriage, women who had used the pill just prior to marriage reported more frequent arguments than those who had not, including arguments about chores, children, money, affection, and about other women. No differences were found for arguments about religion, leisure time, drinking and relatives. Over the lifetime of the marriage, former OC users reported higher frequency of arguments about other women. However, there were few significant effects on marital outcome or child health in this dataset. The paper is provisionally titled "Oral contraceptive use during partner choice and relationship satisfaction: evidence from a longitudinal sample" to be submitted to Contraception. Study 3: Pregnancy and child health data are currently being analysed. However we found several significant relationships between pill use during partner choice and subsequent relationship satisfaction and outcome. Among women not currently using the pill, those who used it during partner choice reported lower sexual satisfaction in their relationship compared with those who did not, sexual dissatisfaction increased with relationship length, and these women were relatively more likely to initiate a separation if it occurred than their male partner. However, the same women were more satisfied with non-sexual aspects of the relationship, were less likely to separate than non-users, and had longer relationships if they did. This paper has been published: Roberts et al. (2012) Relationship satisfaction and outcome in women who meet their partner while using oral contraception, Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279:1430-1436. Study 4: Ratings of 105 offspring and mother photos have been collected. A manuscript is in preparation |
| Exploitation Route | Understanding and appreciating the psychological consequences of using oral contraception during partnership formation; potentially influence on design and testing of new hormonal birth control methods Our first paper (Roberts et al. 2012, Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279:1430-1436) led two colleagues to publish a commentary on the findings, calling for those working in the sexual health and contraception field to take more note of psychological effects of oral contraceptive use: Cobey KD, Buunk AP (2012) Conducting high-quality research on the psychological impact of oral contraceptive use. Contraception doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2012.01.011. The work is also being brought to the attention of family planning professionals: the work was also featured by a specialist in sexual health information from Brook UK (www.brook.org.uk, the country's largest young people's sexual health charity) as a "Journal Club" article in a prominent journal for family planning professionals, suggesting the work may be beginning to be recognised by and have wider impact on user groups: Belfield T (2012) Relationship satisfaction and outcome in women who meet their partner while using oral contraception. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 38, 29. doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2011-100250 |
| Sectors | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| URL | http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/staff/staff-profiles/academic-staff/craig-roberts |
| Description | British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship |
| Amount | £123,037 (GBP) |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2013 |
| End | 08/2014 |
| Description | Dating, mating and relating : the science of attraction |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public lecture at the British Science Festival: Energising Minds, Aberdeen, 4 - 9 September 2012. Audience members who stayed behind to ask questions indicated the talk had changed the way they thought about their behaviour and relationships |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/british-science-festival/aberdeen-2012 |
| Description | Ditch the pill 'to help decide if you really fancy him' : contraceptive alters way users feel about love and sex |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in the Daily Mail Daily Mail |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2121453/Birth-control-pills-lengthen-relationships--s... |
| Description | Faculty of 1000 recommendation : relationship satisfaction and outcome in women who meet their partner while using oral contraception |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Paper resulting from this grant was recommended as a "Must Read" article on Faculty of 1000 (http://f1000.com). The evaluation can be read at http://f1000.com/714397801 The evaluation is presented in the accompanying document The evaluation is presented in the accompanying document |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://f1000.com/714397801 |
| Description | Human mating and the MHC : preferences, proceptivity and the pill |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | plenary talk at the International Society for Human Ethology 2011 Summer Institute in Human Ethology, Prague, July 2011 Students were introduced to a new area of current interest |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012 |
| Description | Interview for upcoming Rikki Lake documentary |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | I was filmed in Washington for Rikki Lake's upcoming documentary "Sweetening the Pill" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.sweeteningthepill.com/ |
| Description | Invited State of the Art plenary lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was an invited plenary lecture, one of four 'State of the Art' lectures at the 2018 meeting of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health http://www.isswsh.org/. The Society is a multidisciplinary, academic, and scientific organization with the following purposes: To provide opportunities for communication among scholars, researchers, and practitioners about women's sexual function and sexual experience; To support the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in research, education, and clinical practice of women's sexuality; and To provide the public with accurate information about women's sexuality and sexual health. Attended mainly be clinical practitioners, MD's, and researchers, the lecture was followed by a multitude of questions within the session and afterwards, primarily around implications for family planning professionals and end users, with several comments and questions about how the findings might be communicated and might best be used to inform women's choice of birth control method. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.isswshmeeting.org/program |
| Description | Invited talk at Contraceptive Conundrum conference (Washington DC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a meeting at the Edmund D Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics, Georgetown University, Washinton DC, to discuss a range of potential medical and behavioural effects of using hormonal contraception, beyond its primary function. I was one of 7 invited speakers to an audience of approximately 150 people, including a range of medical practitioners, therapists, counsellors, students (mostly medical), researchers and patient groups (including sets of parents of women who have experienced such effects). I sat on a panel and answered questions during open discussion afterwards. My talk was filmed and has been made available internationally on the website of the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine (http://www.restorative-reproductive-medicine.com). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.contraceptiveconundrum.com |
| Description | Pill may make sex less satisfying for women, but relationships last longer |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in The Guardian The Guardian |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/oct/12/pill-sex-satisfying-women-relationships |
| Description | The science of human attraction |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview on Guardian Science Weekly podcast on how the contraceptive pill may be changing our behaviour I do not know how many people listen to Guardian Science Podcasts, and have no way to estimate impact of this activity |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/audio/2011/sep/05/science-weekly-podcast-human-attraction |
| Description | Women choose different partners when on the pill |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in Daily Telegraph Daily Telegraph |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.telegraph.co.uk/relationships/9173543/Women-choose-different-partners-when-on-the-Pill.ht... |
| Description | Women on the pill choose less sexy but more reliable partners, researchers find |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in The Times The Times |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Women on the pill go for unsexy men : they look for 'good dad' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Coverage of research findings in The Sun The Sun |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3866459/Women-on-the-pill-brgo-for-unsexy-men.html |
| Description | Women who meet husbands while on pill have happier and longer marriages |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Report on research findings on NHS Health Direct News webpage http://www.healthdirect.co.uk/2011/10/women-who-meet-husbands-while-on-pill-have-happier-and-longer-marriages.html http://www.healthdirect.co.uk/2011/10/women-who-meet-husbands-while-on-pill-have-happier-and-longer-marriages.html |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| URL | http://www.healthdirect.co.uk/2011/10/women-who-meet-husbands-while-on-pill-have-happier-and-longer-... |