A new study has found that women who take the Pill are less attracted to their partners and less satisfied with sex than women not using the contraceptive.

The survey looked at the quality of 2,519 women's relationships with men, with whom they had at least one child.

Those who were on the Pill regarded their partners as less sexually exciting. But on the plus side, their relationships tended to last longer than women not using the Pill and they were more satisfied with non-sexual aspects of their relationships - such as care, reliability and support for their children.

"Overall, women who met their partner on the pill had longer relationships – by two years on average – and were less likely to separate," said Doctor Craig Roberts at the University of Stirling, leading the study.

"So there is both good news and bad news for women who meet (their partner) while on the Pill. One effect seems to compensate for the other."

"The implications of our study seem to be that by changing your hormone profile through using the Pill, you might shift your preference away from cads in favour of dads," he added.

Past studies have indicated that women's preferences towards men change at different stages in their menstrual cycles. When they are in non-fertile stages, they are attracted to more caring, reliable men - compared to fertile stages, where they prefer "masculine" or macho men.

Dr. Roberts advised that women thinking of settling down with their partners should consider using non-hormonal contraceptives, to see if that altered their opinion in any way.

Women on Pill 'less sexually satisfied'