Die Pille, Partnerwahl und Beziehungen

Die Pille simuliert im Endeffekt eine Schwangerschaft und nutzt die dabei bestehenden Mechanismen zur Verhütung aus. Das hat interessante Auswirkungen auf die Partnerwahl:

Hormonal variation over the menstrual cycle alters women’s preferences for phenotypic indicators of men’s genetic or parental quality. Hormonal contraceptives suppress these shifts, inducing different mate preference patterns among users and non-users. This raises the possibility that women using oral contraception (OC) choose different partners than they would do otherwise but, to date, we know neither whether these laboratory-measured effects are sufficient to exert real-world consequences, nor what these consequences would be. Here, we test for differences in relationship quality and survival between women who were using or not using OC when they chose the partner who fathered their first child. Women who used OC scored lower on measures of sexual satisfaction and partner attraction, experienced increasing sexual dissatisfaction during the relationship, and were more likely to be the one to initiate an eventual separation if it occurred.However, the same women were more satisfied with their partner’s paternal provision, and thus had longer relationships and were less likely to separate. These effects are congruent with evolutionary predictions based on cyclical preference shifts. Our results demonstrate that widespread use of hormonal contraception may contribute to relationship outcome, with implications for human reproductive behaviour, family cohesion and quality of life.

Quelle: Relationship satisfaction and outcome in women who meet their partner while using oral contraception

Die Idee ist, dass die Pille die Partnerwahl beeinflusst.

• mit Pille erfolgte eine Auswahl des Partners insbesondere nach den Kriterien, die für eine Schwangere interessant sind, also im wesentlichen der liebe Versorger, der auf eine Langzeitbeziehung aus ist.
• ohne Pille hingegen spielte sexuelle Attraktivität eine größere Rolle

Demnach hatten Frauen, die beim Kennenlernen bereits die Pille nahmen längere Beziehungen, aber weil die Auswahl weniger auf sexuelle Attraktivität ausgerichtet war, war der Sex schlechter.

Die Forscher dazu:

„Frauen, die ihren Partner während der Pilleneinnahme aussuchten, hatten im Schnitt zwei Jahre längere Beziehungen und trennten sich weniger schnell“, sagte Forschungsleiter Craig Roberts. Das könnte nach seinen Erkenntnissen damit zusammenhängen, dass Frauen, die die Pille einnehmen, sich ähnlich verhalten, wie ihre Geschlechtsgenossinnen ohne Empfängnisverhütung an unfruchtbaren Tagen.

In dieser Zeit finden Frauen eher Männer sexy, die fürsorglich und vertrauenswürdig sind.

Oder noch einmal hier:

Women on the pill when they met their partner were significantly less sexually satisfied, but reported higher levels of general satisfaction in the relationship, such as financial support and partner loyalty. They were also more likely to stay together.

During fertile cycle phases, women seek out traits such as masculine faces, which are associated with good genes but also infidelity. Because women on the pill don’t have such hormone shifts they may be more sensitive to traits which lead to longer relationships, says Roberts.

Also kurz gefasst: Ohne Pille werden Machos interessanter (maskuline Gesichter heißen ja auch nichts anderes als hoher Testosteronspiegel), mit Pille werden Betas interessanter, mit denen macht aber der Sex nicht so viel Spass, weil sie nicht so anziehend sind.

Allerdings sind die Studien zur Pillennutzung und Sex auch recht unterschiedlich:

COCPs may increase natural vaginal lubrication.[91] Other women experience reductions in libido while on the pill, or decreased lubrication.[91][92] Some researchers question a causal link between COCP use and decreased libido;[93] a 2007 study of 1700 women found COCP users experienced no change in sexual satisfaction.[94] A 2005 laboratory study of genital arousal tested fourteen women before and after they began taking COCPs. The study found that women experienced a significantly wider range of arousal responses after beginning pill use; decreases and increases in measures of arousal were equally common.[95]

A 2006 study of 124 pre-menopausal women measured sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), including before and after discontinuation of the oral contraceptive Pill. Women continuing use of oral contraceptives had SHBG levels four times higher than those who never used it, and levels remained elevated even in the group that had discontinued its use.[96] Theoretically, an increase in SHBG may be a physiologic response to increased hormone levels, but may decrease the free levels of other hormones, such as androgens, because of the unspecificity of its sex hormone binding.

Alles im allen also eine sehr ungenaue Lage. Auch nach meiner Erfahrung müssen die meisten Frauen erst die für sie passende Pille finden.

Die Effekte zur Partnerwahl allerdings sprechen dagegen, dass unser Begehren rein gesellschaftlich konstruiert ist. Sie sprechen vielmehr für eine biologische Grundlage.