Effect of birth control on women's preferences

Citation

Roberts SC (2021) Effect of birth control on women's preferences. In: Shackelford TK & Weekes-Shackelford V (eds.) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_13

Abstract
Birth control relates to any method of preventing conception while engaging in sexual intercourse. This can include avoiding intercourse while the woman is fertile (e.g., rhythm method), pre-ejaculatory withdrawal, and barrier methods (e.g., condom, uterine cap) which prevent sperm from reaching the egg. So far as we know, choice of these methods has no effect on women’s mate preference. This entry is instead concerned with modern hormonal methods of birth control (especially the oral contraceptive pill) which achieve contraceptive function by manipulating women’s reproductive physiology and function.