Might Taking Birth Control Lead Women to the Wrong Men?
Women are sexually attracted to guys who smell like good genetic matches, but birth control pills may make women choose the wrong men, WebMD reports. Previous research shows that women prefer men who have a genetic makeup different from their own, which increases the chances of having healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. But taking birth control pills may lead a woman to pick a man who is more genetically similar to herself than she’d otherwise be drawn to, according to the study authors. The findings, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, are based on animal findings, so it’s not known if the research applies to humans. Also, a new national survey finds that more women are seeking birth control services. In June, U.S. News’s Deborah Kotz reported on a government threat to birth control.
