A new study provides evidence that hormonal contraceptive use is associated with increased jealousy and mate retention behaviors in women and their male partners.
The research suggests that the synthetic hormones in birth control pills may alter relationship dynamics and have unintended psychological side effects.
Key findings:
- Women using hormonal contraceptives reported higher use of mate retention tactics compared to women not using hormonal contraceptives.
- The dose of synthetic estradiol, but not progesterone, in birth control pills was positively associated with the frequency of mate retention behaviors in women.
- Male partners of women using hormonal contraceptives also reported higher use of mate retention tactics.
- The effects remained even when controlling for factors like age, relationship length, sociosexual orientation, relationship satisfaction, and commitment level.
Source: Horm Behav.
Women’s Mate Retention Increases with Hormonal Contraceptives
The study examined mate retention behaviors in 109 heterosexual couples using the Mate Retention Inventory-Short Form (MRI-SF).
This scale measures behaviors used to guard a partner and maintain a relationship, ranging from vigilant acts to manipulation and violence.
Women using hormonal contraceptives, specifically birth control pills, scored higher on the MRI-SF compared to women not using hormonal contraception.
They reported using more frequent mate retention tactics overall.
Breaking this down further, the increase was specific to mate retention behaviors directed at romantic partners, known as intersexual manipulations.
These include things like displays of public affection, punishments for infidelity threats, and emotional manipulation.
There was no difference in mate retention tactics directed at rivals, called intrasexual manipulations, such as public signals of possession and violence toward rivals.
The findings build on past research showing hormonal contraceptive users have more jealous responses to infidelity.
This study newly demonstrates hormonal contraceptive use predicts actual mate retention behavior frequencies in women.
Estradiol Dose Positively Related to Mate Guarding
The researchers also looked at whether the dose of synthetic estradiol or progesterone in birth control pills predicted mate retention behaviors.
They found the dose of synthetic estradiol, but not progesterone, was positively associated with women’s self-reported mate retention frequency.
Women taking pills with higher doses of synthetic estradiol reported more frequent use of mate retention tactics.
Previous research similarly reported higher jealousy with higher estradiol doses in birth control pills.
This points to estradiol as a likely driver of the increased mate retention behaviors found in hormonal contraceptive users.
Male Partners Also Exhibit More Possessiveness
Interestingly, the study found effects on the other side of the relationships as well.
Male partners of women using hormonal contraceptives reported higher mate retention behavior use themselves.
Men partnered with hormonal contraceptive users scored higher on both self- and partner-directed measures of the MRI-SF.
They reported more frequent use of mate retention tactics overall, both toward their partner and toward potential rivals.
This novel finding suggests hormonal contraceptive use by women influences mate retention behaviors exhibited by their male partners as well.
Men appear to respond by ramping up their own mate guarding efforts.
However, when relationship satisfaction was controlled for statistically, some of these effects were diminished in men.
More research is needed to understand the factors driving increased mate retention in partners of contraceptive users.
Why are Birth Control Pills Linked to Mate Retention Behaviors?
This study cannot definitively explain the connection between hormonal contraceptive use and mate retention behaviors.
However, the authors offer some possibilities.
First, synthetic hormones may directly alter female psychology and behavior in ways that intensify mate guarding tendencies.
Estradiol likely contributes specifically.
Second, the hormones may change women’s mate preferences and attraction cues, introducing relationship conflict and provoking jealousy.
For instance, hormonal contraceptives can eliminate ovulation-related shifts that may serve an evolutionary purpose.
Lastly, male partners may strategically increase their mate retention efforts in response to any reduced fidelity or increased interest in new partners on the part of hormonal contraceptive users.
But more research is needed to test these hypotheses.
Study Limitations and Future Research
While the study had a decent sample size, participants were limited to one university population of undergraduate couples.
It remains to be seen whether results would generalize to older, married or international couples.
As a correlational study, cause and effect cannot be determined.
Mate retention behaviors were only measured at one time point.
Long-term studies tracking couples over time could better assess how initiating or discontinuing hormonal contraceptives impacts romantic dynamics.
Future research should also directly test the potential behavioral mechanisms linking contraceptive hormones to jealousy and mate guarding.
Do synthetic estrogens amplify female jealousy responses to threats, for instance?
Broader Implications for Relationships
Despite its limitations, this research presents compelling evidence that hormonal contraceptives – a staple of modern fertility management – may have unintended repercussions on women’s romantic relationships.
Both contraceptive users and their partners exhibited higher levels of mate retention behaviors, which can be possessive or manipulative at the extreme.
While mate guarding serves an evolutionary purpose, excessive or antisocial tactics predict lower relationship satisfaction and even intimate partner violence according to the authors.
At the very least, this study highlights the need for awareness of the psychosocial effects birth control pills may introduce into couples’ relationships.
Medical professionals should educate users, and couples may consider behavioral changes to preemptively counteract any increased jealousy or guarding tendencies associated with contraceptive use.
References
- Study: Hormonal contraceptive use and mate retention behavior in women and their male partners
- Authors: Lisa L M Welling et al. (2012)
