Almost one quarter of women blame hormonal contraception for relationship ending

Exclusive: ‘The ups and downs of oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone in a woman’s menstrual cycle can have a powerful effect on how women feel about their partner and relationship,’ lawyer says

Almost a quarter of women who have taken hormonal contraception say it caused, or played a role in, the end of their relationship, new research has found.

Data from Britain’s largest family law firm, shared exclusively with The Independent, also found 85 per cent said their marriage or relationship had been impacted by the contraception’s side effects.

The research, carried out by Stowe Family Law, found some 63 per cent of women were forced to come off a form of contraception due to side effects altering their relationship.

Almost nine in 10 women who had used hormonal contraception said it had affected their mental or physical health.

Researchers, who polled 506 women aged between 18 and 60, found just over seven in 10 of those who had taken hormonal contraception said they suffered mood swings, while almost half had experienced depression, and around three in 10 said they had grappled with anxiety.

Around four in 10 said mood swings generate communication problems, meanwhile around six in 10 said mood swings trigger rows.

Hormonal contraception is used to stop women from getting pregnant – with common forms including the combined pill, mini pill, an intrauterine device (IUD), the implant, injections, skin patches, vaginal rings, and skin patches.

Sarah Barr-Young, a managing partner at Stowe Family Law, told The Independent: “Hormonal changes affect relationships in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

“The ups and downs of oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone in a woman's menstrual cycle can have a powerful effect on how women feel about their partner and relationship. For those women taking hormonal contraception, the impact on relationships is increased.”

Ms Barr-Young noted the “breakdown” of a relationship can be prompted by “an explosive event” like an affair, one partner choosing to break it off, or distance slowly mounting between the couple.

“One common factor I see is that communication has completely broken down between the couple, so they cannot resolve their issues,” she added. “Hormonal changes, particularly during pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, can also have a dramatic impact on relationships and are often referred to as divorce danger zones.”

But the lawyer argued, in her own experience, it is uncommon for such “changes” to “directly” make the relationship fall apart but rather serves to shine a light on and compound pre-existing problems.

The fresh research found almost a quarter of women feared hormonal side effects precipitated by contraception will have detrimental repercussions on their relationship in the future.

“If the relationship is already struggling and communication has broken down, it may not have the resilience to survive the challenges hormonal changes can bring,” Ms Barr-Young said.