In the study, as a measure of affective responsiveness, subjects were asked to read theoretical situations designed to trigger a particular emotion; they were then asked to pick which emotion they would feel if the scenario was happening to them.
And it was discovered that the women currently on the pill were much more emotionally astute in this test than those who took the pill but on their week off. But Sina Radke, a neuroscientist from Germany's Aachen University, who worked on the study, warned of the repercussions this could have on relationships.
"If oral contraceptive use is linked to a reduced ability to recognise emotions, this might ultimately have negative consequences for relationship quality… by leading to more conflict," she advised.
But it's okay really, because we've now got a new excuse for why we start arguments with our partners. Perfect.