Women not taking contraceptives are more attractive in the fertile period

Research at the University of São Paulo (USP) shows that the most fertile phase of the menstrual cycle, women not taking hormonal contraceptives (AH) are considered more attractive by men than when they are less fertile phase. The study is part of the doctoral thesis of the psychologist Lina María Rodríguez-Perilla.

During the research, two facial photos of 18 women in the reproductive phase (18 to 42 years), obtained in fertile and infertile phases of the cycle, panelists were presented to 64 male volunteers, aged 18 years, which should point to more attractive and provide a level of attractiveness for each picture. In one of the stages of the study, 62% of photographed faces in the fertile phase were chosen as more attractive, compared to 38% in the infertile phase. In another step, in which were excluded from the picture outside elements, such as hair and ears, the result changed to 58% in the fertile phase, against 42% in the infertile.

The study also involved a comparison of the variation in the attractiveness of women who were not using hormonal contraceptives (AH) and others who used it. Thus, we evaluated the faces of women over 18, these users of AH, photographed in the periods corresponding to the FFT and FL a normal ovulatory menstrual cycle. From this, an important finding of this study was the difference was not significant in judging the attractiveness of the faces of these women in both phases of the cycle: there was a 52% preference for photographed faces in the fertile phase (FFT), compared to 48% of the faces infertile. Lina Maria explains that these women do not occur hormonal changes characteristic of menstrual phase transition, as ovulation, and this may be one of the reasons why no changes are detected in attractiveness. The use or nonuse of contraception can influence the attractiveness of women, she concludes.

<b> What changes in women </ b>

After completion of the research, the psychologist also made a note of the faces of women in qualitative terms, noticing certain changes in the faces of those who do not use contraceptives. Basically, what changes is the soft tissue of the face: the lips are a little bulkier, and the face is more rounded in the cheek region. But they are very subtle changes, he says. Nevertheless, to better conclusions about these differences would require further studies specifically focused on identifying the characteristics of the face and other parts of the suffering female body as menstrual cycle changes.

According to Lina María, these findings They support studies that claim that the human being, even unconsciously, is able to perceive small changes in the other, including fertility, in this case related to the largest trial of facial attractiveness of women. As biological beings, she explains, the goal of every species is to reproduce. So this ability to perceive would be convenient to choose the best partner for procreation.

With information <i> USP </ i>

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