Genetics and Your Divorce

You may wonder what exactly caused your divorce and if there was anything you could have done differently that would have prevented it. There are often many reasons that contribute to the end of a marriage, but a new study has revealed a new reason to consider. A group of scientists at Emory University have determined that a hormone called vasopressin has an influence on divorce. Men who have more receptors for this hormone have bodies that use more of it and are more likely to be monogamous (the more vasopressin a man’s body uses, the more likely he is to be faithful). Men who are monogamous are more likely to have happy marriages and less likely to get divorced. Men who have fewer vasopressin receptors are less like to be monogamous (are more likely to cheat) and more likely to get divorced. The study showed that wives’ marital happiness was directly linked to the amount of vasopressin receptors their husbands have.

Men inherit one gene from each parent that controls their vasopressin receptors. Men in the study who had two genes (one from each parent) for low vasopressin reception were twice as likely to have had a serious problem in their marriage in the past year.

The study suggests that some men are hardwired to be faithful and monogamous, and some are not. It also suggests that whether or not you get a divorce may be related to the husband’s vasopressin reception levels. There is speculation that there could be treatment for low vasopressin in the future, with hormonal treatments available that could increase the chance that a man will be monogamous in marriage.

While hormones might have influenced your divorce, it is likely that the reasons for the end of your marriage are more complicated than simply genes.

The Sampair Group has more than 80 years of experience in the Glendale, Mesa, and Phoenix areas of Arizona. Make an appointment with us today.