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If you were on the pill when you met your husband, odds are you're still together. But your sex life? It's likely ho-hum.

That's the gist of a new study looking at how oral contraception affects wives' sexual satisfaction and the longevity of a marriage.

The study of 2,519 mothers, mainly from the United States and Czech Republic, found that those who met their first child's father while on the pill were less attracted to their spouses and had greater sexual dissatisfaction over the long haul, compared with women who weren't taking birth control pills when they met their spouse, Time reports.

The upside is that the women taking oral contraceptives were happier with other aspects of the relationship – and 10-per-cent more likely to stay with their mates.

It all boils down to chemistry, researchers say.

The pill alters women's preferences for men's body odour, according to study author Craig Roberts, who has published previous research on how synthetic hormones affect mate selection.

Instead of preferring genetically different men – which increases the chances of a healthy baby – women on the pill gravitate toward more genetically similar men, he told the BBC.

Likewise, women in their fertile stage who aren't on synthetic hormones tend to go for more dominant, alpha men, who are more apt to stray. But being on the pill puts women in a hormonal state similar to the later part of the menstrual cycle, when they are more likely to be pregnant. During this phase, Dr. Roberts said, "they are more attracted to men who appear more caring and reliable – good dads."

Obviously, there's nothing wrong with a dependable guy who sticks around. But what if a woman wants to make sure her sex life doesn't end up as dull as dishwater?

Dr. Roberts has a tip for that: "Choosing a non-hormonal barrier method of contraception for a few months before getting married might be one way for a woman to check or reassure herself that she's still attracted to her partner."

He should call it the "latex test."

Do you believe synthetic hormones affect how women choose a mate?

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