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Sex hormone makes women cheat

By Suzannah Ramsdale on Tuesday 20 January 2009

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Marie Claire Features: Man, Sex

Women who have cheated on their partners can blame it on their hormones, a new study claims.

Women with high levels of oestrogen not only look and feel prettier but are more likely to hop from man to man.

The female hormone affects fertility, which apparently leads to 'opportunistic serial monogamy', or, in plain speak, when a woman is open to flings and more likely to run off with another man if they deem him to be of higher quality.

Dr. Kristina Durante of The University of Texas says, 'Women with higher oestradiol reported a greater likelihood of flirting, kissing and having a serious affair with someone other than their primary partner and were marginally more likely to date another man.'

The high levels of oestrogen cause women to feel more attractive and, in turn, they often act on those feelings.

'Physically attractive women receive more male attention and, when in relationships, are more likely to be the targets of mate poaching. Attractive women also have especially high mating standards.

'Because it's difficult to obtain a partner who is a good provider and also has good genes, women often have to trade off between having a long-term mate who provides continual material resources and more physically attractive, short-term sexual partners with good genetic resources.

'However, highly attractive women demand greater amounts of both types of resources in a male partner, in addition to good parenting and partner skills. Thus, physically attractive women may not only have more alternatives but also high standards that are difficult to satisfy.

'Accordingly, they may have fewer reasons to be committed to any particular partner if higher quality potential mates are available.'

Dr Durante was quick to state that while high-oestradiol women tend to have more relationships, it doesn't mean they are more likely to have one-night stands.

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