The Pill picks the men

Women taking oral contraceptives could end up choosing the wrong sort of man, scientists said yesterday.

Psychologists showed volunteers pictures of different men and asked who they would choose for a longterm companion.

Those on the Pill tended to go for rugged, macho-looking types with strong jawlines and cheekbones.

Those not on the Pill chose men with softer facial features who looked like they were honest and good at bringing up children. Anthony Little, who led the team from St Andrews and Stirling universities in Scotland, believes the women subconsciously favoured the ruggedlooking men because they looked like good genetic specimens.

They were also popular with women seeking short-term partners. But women looking for a good husband and father saw qualities other than machismo as important.

He warned: 'A women who chooses her partner while she is on the Pill and then comes off it to have a child may find she is married to the wrong man.'

Previous studies at St Andrews suggested that where a woman was in her menstrual cycle affected her feelings towards the opposite sex.

The Pill also disrupts a woman's ovulation, which may explain why it also influences her choice of men.