How Birth Control Pills Affect Sexual, Marital Satisfaction

Good news and bad for women who take the pill: new research finds that those who meet their partners while taking oral contraceptives report less sexual satisfaction in their relationships — but they're also less likely to split up.

A study of 2,519 mothers, mainly from the U.S. and Czech Republic, found that those who met their first child's father while on the pill were less sexually satisfied with their men, less attracted to them and experienced greater sexual dissatisfaction over time, compared with women who weren't taking birth control pills.

But they also reported greater satisfaction with other aspects of their relationships, including the financial support provided by their mates, and were about 10% more likely to stay together. (If they did break up, the split was around 10% more likely to be initiated by the woman than the man.)

MORE: The Stress of Divorce, Writ on Women's Heads

So, how could the pill possibly affect mate choice? It comes down to chemistry.

The researchers had previously discovered that women's menstrual cycles affect the types of men to which they are most attracted. Part of having "chemistry" with someone is liking his smell, which is determined in part by an immune system molecule called MHC.

People tend to be attracted to partners with MHC types that are dissimilar from their own, probably because this would give their offspring a greater chance of survival by creating a diversified immune system. The pill, however, puts the body into a hormonal state similar to pregnancy — and pregnant women tend to prefer MHC scents that are similar to their own, probably because this would make them feel safe and comfortable around supportive relatives.

That means that if you're taking the pill, you may be more likely to find attractive men whose MHC is similar to your own — but during your regular cycle, these men might seem less your "type."

Indeed, during their most fertile phase, women tend to be drawn to more dominant, masculine men who are more likely to be unfaithful. In contrast, during the second part of their cycle, when they could already be pregnant, they are more attracted to calmer, more nurturing types.

MORE: Q&A: Is Marriage for White People?

So, basically, meeting while on the pill might make you choose a "dad" who may not be the most exciting guy, but who will stick around and support the kids. Conversely, meeting while not taking hormonal contraceptives might make the bad-boy "cad" seem irresistible.

Of course, there are many, many variables involved in choosing a partner and the influence of taking the pill is not huge. It's possible that other underlying factors actually account for the differences between pill users and nonusers, perhaps related to their decisions about contraception and attitudes toward sex. The researchers tried to control for these factors, however, and still found that the effect persisted in two different countries.

Lead author Craig Roberts of the University of Stirling in the U.K. told the BBC: "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."

My guess, however, is that if you are that concerned about your relationship, you might have other issues to iron out before booking the caterer.

The study was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

MORE: Is Divorce Counseling Really Necessary for Happily Married Women?

Maia Szalavitz is a health writer at TIME.com. Find her on Twitter at @maiasz. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Healthland's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIMEHealthland.

In Some Chinese Hospitals, Violence Is Out of Control and It's Doctors Who Are At Risk

A physician at Shenzhen Humanity Hospital washes his hands after performing an operation, May 20, 2011.

Forbes Conrad / Bloomberg / Getty Images

On a recent Monday afternoon, doctors at Beijing Tongren Hospital stopped working. Their hour-long protest aimed to raise awareness about what they say is a rising problem in Chinese hospitals: attacks on medical personnel. "Punish the attacker severely and give dignity back to doctors," read a digital sign set up by the staff, according to state media.

Days earlier, Xu Wen, a 43-year-old otolaryngologist at the hospital, had been brutally attacked by a dissatisfied patient. Wang Baoming, a Beijing calligrapher and throat cancer patient that Xu had operated on in 2006, stabbed Cu 17 times in her arms, head and back, after spending years blogging about the allegedly failed surgery and trying to sue the doctor for medical malpractice. The Ministry of Health, as well as several non-governmental organizations, issued statements condemning the assault. Internet forums and social media websites were quickly inundated with prayers for the injured doctor. "I am beyond angry," wrote an Internet user named "ole2011" on the popular Tianya forum. "The murderer must be punished. Let's pray for Dr. Xu!" (Read about China's growing medical boom.)

China is no stranger to hospital brawls. On September 21, relatives of a deceased patient barged into the Wuhan Union Hospital, injuring more than 10 security guards with metal batons. In June of 2009, some 20 doctors across the country were killed or severely injured by disgruntled family members of patients. According to survey results published by the China Hospital Management Association, medical treatment disputes have risen by an average 23% every year since 2002.

This wave of violence underscores deepening strain in doctor-patient relations. While physical attacks are widely condemned, at least publicly, many patients complain that doctors can be arrogant and irresponsible. "I hope all doctors will reflect on themselves," reads one comment on Sohu, a major Chinese web portal. "Please try to be responsible for your patients and don't be blinded by profits."(See pictures of the making of modern China.)

Doctors counter that they are being vilified without cause. "Doctors are obviously an disadvantaged group in society," says an orthopedist at a prestigious Beijing hospital who speaks on condition of anonymity. "We have spent so much of our youth on a medical degree that yields so little economic reward. And in the end, we become like a public enemy." According to numbers released by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, close to 96% of doctors in the country are dissatisfied with their salaries, which, on average, are just 19% higher than what the average Chinese worker makes.

Indeed, there are several signs that the health system is stressed. First, there is a wide disparity between industry standards in rural and urban areas. "Right now, you can graduate from a three-year medical program [in the country] and be a doctor, or you can go for a 10-year program and be a doctor," says the orthopedist. "Of course, the better educated ones will try to stay in big cities." As a result, rural patients flock to Beijing and Shanghai, lowering the country's urban doctor-patient ratio of 2.74 doctors per 1,000 people in 2010, according to statistics released by the Chinese Ministry of Health. In rural areas, though, the ratio is 0.95 doctors per 1,000 people. (In France and Germany, the ratio in 2007 was about 3.3.)

Even worse, the attacks have already been shown to severely dampen the morale of doctors. More than 95% of some 6,000 doctors surveyed by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association this year expressed discontent with salary, and as many as 78% said they wouldn't want their children to study medicine. Doctors say violent attacks hurt patients as well as doctors. "I don't know her personally," writes a netizen who identifies himself as a doctor on Sina Weibo, a popular micro-blogging service. "But doctors like Xu typically performs about 20 surgeries a day. Chances are, she will never be able to operate again, which means that every year, thousands of cancer patients could miss the chance to be cured."

Read about China at the age of 60.

Read about what is next for China.

In Some Chinese Hospitals, Violence Is Out of Control and It's Doctors Who Are At Risk

A physician at Shenzhen Humanity Hospital washes his hands after performing an operation, May 20, 2011.

Forbes Conrad / Bloomberg / Getty Images

On a recent Monday afternoon, doctors at Beijing Tongren Hospital stopped working. Their hour-long protest aimed to raise awareness about what they say is a rising problem in Chinese hospitals: attacks on medical personnel. "Punish the attacker severely and give dignity back to doctors," read a digital sign set up by the staff, according to state media.

Days earlier, Xu Wen, a 43-year-old otolaryngologist at the hospital, had been brutally attacked by a dissatisfied patient. Wang Baoming, a Beijing calligrapher and throat cancer patient that Xu had operated on in 2006, stabbed Cu 17 times in her arms, head and back, after spending years blogging about the allegedly failed surgery and trying to sue the doctor for medical malpractice. The Ministry of Health, as well as several non-governmental organizations, issued statements condemning the assault. Internet forums and social media websites were quickly inundated with prayers for the injured doctor. "I am beyond angry," wrote an Internet user named "ole2011" on the popular Tianya forum. "The murderer must be punished. Let's pray for Dr. Xu!" (Read about China's growing medical boom.)

China is no stranger to hospital brawls. On September 21, relatives of a deceased patient barged into the Wuhan Union Hospital, injuring more than 10 security guards with metal batons. In June of 2009, some 20 doctors across the country were killed or severely injured by disgruntled family members of patients. According to survey results published by the China Hospital Management Association, medical treatment disputes have risen by an average 23% every year since 2002.

This wave of violence underscores deepening strain in doctor-patient relations. While physical attacks are widely condemned, at least publicly, many patients complain that doctors can be arrogant and irresponsible. "I hope all doctors will reflect on themselves," reads one comment on Sohu, a major Chinese web portal. "Please try to be responsible for your patients and don't be blinded by profits."(See pictures of the making of modern China.)

Doctors counter that they are being vilified without cause. "Doctors are obviously an disadvantaged group in society," says an orthopedist at a prestigious Beijing hospital who speaks on condition of anonymity. "We have spent so much of our youth on a medical degree that yields so little economic reward. And in the end, we become like a public enemy." According to numbers released by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, close to 96% of doctors in the country are dissatisfied with their salaries, which, on average, are just 19% higher than what the average Chinese worker makes.

Indeed, there are several signs that the health system is stressed. First, there is a wide disparity between industry standards in rural and urban areas. "Right now, you can graduate from a three-year medical program [in the country] and be a doctor, or you can go for a 10-year program and be a doctor," says the orthopedist. "Of course, the better educated ones will try to stay in big cities." As a result, rural patients flock to Beijing and Shanghai, lowering the country's urban doctor-patient ratio of 2.74 doctors per 1,000 people in 2010, according to statistics released by the Chinese Ministry of Health. In rural areas, though, the ratio is 0.95 doctors per 1,000 people. (In France and Germany, the ratio in 2007 was about 3.3.)

Even worse, the attacks have already been shown to severely dampen the morale of doctors. More than 95% of some 6,000 doctors surveyed by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association this year expressed discontent with salary, and as many as 78% said they wouldn't want their children to study medicine. Doctors say violent attacks hurt patients as well as doctors. "I don't know her personally," writes a netizen who identifies himself as a doctor on Sina Weibo, a popular micro-blogging service. "But doctors like Xu typically performs about 20 surgeries a day. Chances are, she will never be able to operate again, which means that every year, thousands of cancer patients could miss the chance to be cured."

Read about China at the age of 60.

Read about what is next for China.