Romantic Love and Reproductive Hormones in Women

Piotr Sorokowski, Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz, Judyta Nowak, Agata Groyecka, Magdalena Kaleta, Weronika Lech, Sylwia Samorek, Katarzyna Stachowska, Klaudia Bocian, Aleksandra Pulcer, Agnieszka Sorokowska, Marta Kowal and Katarzyna Pisanski
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Piotr Sorokowski: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz: Department of Human Biology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Judyta Nowak: Department of Human Biology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Agata Groyecka: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Magdalena Kaleta: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Weronika Lech: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Sylwia Samorek: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Katarzyna Stachowska: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Klaudia Bocian: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Aleksandra Pulcer: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Agnieszka Sorokowska: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Marta Kowal: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland
Katarzyna Pisanski: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-529 Wrocław, Poland

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-9

Abstract: Increased reproductive success is among the most commonly proposed adaptive functions of romantic love. Here, we tested if hormonal changes associated with falling in love may co-vary with hormonal profiles that predict increased fecundity in women. We compared blood serum levels of estradiol (E2, E2/T), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin (PRL), free testosterone (fT), and cortisol (CT), measured in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in single women ( N = 69) and in women at the beginning of a romantic heterosexual relationship who reported being in love with their partner ( N = 47). Participants were healthy, regularly cycling women aged 24 to 33 who did not use hormonal contraception. We found that women in love had higher levels of gonadotropins (FSH, LH) and lower testosterone levels compared to single women who were not in love. These groups of women did not, however, differ in terms of estradiol, prolactin, or cortisol levels.

Keywords: love; sex hormones; fecundity; luteinizing hormone (LH); follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH); testosterone (T) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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