A new study published in the journal Hormones and Behavior found that a woman’s satisfaction with her relationship changes as she approaches ovulation, according to a new report in the journal Fun Science. However, being more or less satisfied with your husband depends on how sexy he is.
Dr. Christina Larson of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues studied 108 women of childbearing age. All of the participating women were not using contraception in the three months before the study began, and none were pregnant or breastfeeding. The average age at marriage for these women was two years. The researchers selected participants for two questionnaires with identical content for the high-fertility phase (ovulation) and the low-fertility phase (non-ovulation). The women reported their ovulatory cycles themselves, and the researchers confirmed that they were ovulating by ovulation testing.
The questionnaires included, “Compared to most men, to what extent do you think women consider your husband to be an ideal short-term or casual partner?” “How sexy do women think your husband is compared to most men?” “How intimate are you with your husband?” “What are your husband’s faults and what are his strengths?” “How do you rate your relationship as a couple? How satisfied are you with your relationship as a couple?” And so on.
The results found that women who thought their husbands were extremely sexy were closer to their husbands and more satisfied with their couple’s relationship when they were nearing ovulation compared to non-ovulation. Those women who thought their husbands were not sexy were more distant from their husbands and more likely to pick fights with them as they approached ovulation.
Early studies have shown that women’s preference for male types changes somewhat with their ovulation. Women who ovulate prefer men who are more masculine in looks and body type and are well-proportioned from side to side. Another study found that women are more attracted to men during ovulation.
Dr. Larson’s analysis points out that the new study shows for the first time that many changes in the attractiveness of men and women are inextricably linked to the role of the couple’s relationship. Hormonal changes may influence how women’s preference for men and couples’ relationships are assessed. Women’s estrogen levels peak in their bodies during ovulation, which can have an impact on their sexual preferences. The good news for men, however, is that while ovulation changes affect a woman’s feelings about her husband and her satisfaction with the couple’s relationship, a woman’s fidelity to her marriage is not affected by ovulation.