Monthly Cycle. Women are blessed with the roller coaster of a monthly cycle and all the ups and downs it brings with it. One week you're utterly exhausted, the next you're full of energy and feeling rather randy. Let's not get started on the mood swings and cramps, food cravings and short tempers.
Lesser Known Symptoms. Outside of the typical cycle a woman experiences, there are certain symptoms that are a bit more subtle. In fact, most don't even realize there is a change at all. One such symptom, is the voice change that occurs due to the fluctuation in hormones.
Luteal Phase. According to Newsweek, during what is known as the luteal phase, "after ovulation and before a woman's period starts, women had a lower voice intensity." The voice change was a slight modification - or lowering - of their normal pitch registered during other phases of the cycle.
The Changes. Dr. Irena Pavela Banai set out to study these voice fluctuations throughout the different cycle phases in order to determine their effect on overall sexual attraction. Her study, which was published in PLOS One journal, showed a distinct change for those on the pill and those who were not.
Your Voice Throughout Your Cycle. The study took a look at 44 women who were not on any form of contraception and an additional 21 women who were on the pill in order to compare their monthly experiences. What they found was a measurable difference in the voices of those who were not on any contraception that was not present in those who were on the pill.
Hormones and Voices. According to the article, sex hormones directly affected each woman's voice who was not on birth control. "Previous research has found during the ovulatory phase (with the highest level of estrogen), women had the 'best voice,'" it stated.
Other Phases. By comparison, the "premenstrual phase (least amount of estrogen, increased amount of progesterone), women had the 'worst' voice, also referred to as 'premenstrual voice syndrome,'" the article explained. This phenomenon is considered to be part of the subtle clues to a woman's ovulation period.
The Pill Interference. Since the changes were initiated as a direct result of changes in the sexual hormone fluctuations, it goes without saying those on the birth control pill did not experience the same voice phenomenon. Since the pill regulates estrogen levels to a flat dosage, it does not allow for the hormone fluctuation that causes the voice changes.
Less Feminine. As a result of the lack of voice changes, women were viewed as "less feminine" than those who did not. "Pill usage may disrupt naturally occurring changes in voice production and make voice more stable throughout the cycle, or even less feminine to some extent," Banai explained.
Rating Voices. In order to measure the changes and determine the "sexiness" of each woman's voice, they all participated in a vocal study. The women were asked to recite the five vowels repeatedly over three different stages of their cycle, and the recordings were compared for examination.
Higher Pitch. At the end of the study, it was determined that women who were not on birth control, spoke with a higher pitched voice during their most fertile time in their cycle. Since previous studies had determined men were most attracted to higher pitched voices in women, it was determined this stage was the most attractive phase of a woman's cycle.
Previous Study. According to Newsweek, the previous studies were published in Hormones and Behavior Magazine in 2012 and concluded men associated higher pitched voices with greater femininity and by extension, sexual attractiveness. The study was concluded by studying similar hormonal changes in women throughout their cycle.
The Results. Banai's study found the same results at the previous study. Both hormonal research efforts concluded "men were more attracted to women with higher levels of estrogen and lower levels of progesterone," the article stated. Though the changes were subtle, they resulted in a noticeable rate of attraction.
Effects on Reproduction. Though both studies showed conclusive evidence that birth control affected the sexual attractiveness of women, Banai says they do not have sufficient evidence to fully understand the relationship between the hormone levels and the subtle changes that affect the sexual mating attractions.
Subtle Clues. "Future studies are needed to address the question of vocal changes in relation to fluctuations of sex hormones in a defined social/mating context," Banai said. It is believed the subtle voice cues draw an instinctive attraction for reproductive success, but researchers state they will need to continue their studies to say for certain.
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