Is He Really Cute, or Is It The Pill?

Research shows that being on the pill can be a determining factor in attraction

By ANNIE GEFFROY
Updated 1:48 PM PST, Mon, Oct 12, 2009

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They say opposites attract, but if that’s true, why is it so common to see couples who look more like brother and sister than significant others?

The reason could be in your medicine cabinet.

British scientists say that being on birth control pills could play a role in determining which men women find physically attractive.

According to the study women whose hormones are regulated by contraceptive pills are less likely to seek out muscular or rugged men, opting for more effeminate men who look similar to themselves.

So should guys put down the dumbbells and shave? Not necessarily.

The study also says that women who are not on the pill prefer manly, masculine features that are dissimilar to their own and are more attracted to personality traits such as dominance and male-male competitiveness.

The effects of oral contraceptives could lead to more than just similar-looking couples walking around town.

“There is evidence that genetic similarity between couples might be linked with infertility,” said the Trends in Ecology and Evolution medical journal study.

Regulation of hormones through use of the pill prevents women from giving off monthly fertility signals that play a role in attraction between women and men.
 

First Published: Oct 12, 2009 1:00 PM PST on NBC Los Angeles

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