Further studies have built upon this initial finding of mate preference. It turns out that women are most attracted to men that have an MHC profile similar to their fathers. That is, they don’t want a mate with an identical genetic make-up, but they also don’t want one that has no overlapping genes at all. By doing this, women can avoid in-breeding (which can result in genetic defects) and complete out-breeding (which can dilute robust genes).
A genetically complimentary mate means more than just initial attraction, however. It also leads to more female orgasms, better chances of conception, and an improved sex life. And the attraction based on scent isn’t just reserved for heterosexual couples. Gay men and lesbians respond as would be expected to body odors, but to the same sex.
An interesting exception to the MHC attraction is for women taking the pill. Wedekind found that pill-takers responded in almost the exact opposite manner than would be expected. Because the pill tricks your body into thinking it is pregnant, it chemically alters your sense of attraction. Instead of finding the scent of genetically dissimilar men attractive, women on the pill found the scent of men with MHC’s similar to their own to be attractive.
This may be because when a woman is pregnant, she isn’t looking for a new mate, and may benefit from being around kin, or those with a similar genetic make-up. But, because scent can be such a powerful indicator of a mate that is biologically compatible, what does this mean for women on the pill? Research has shown that picking a mate whose MHC is too similar to your own can result in higher rates of miscarriage and relationship difficulties like infidelity. Are contraceptive takers sabotaging their innate ability to pick a proper mate?
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