Women’s genes may play factor in divorce

Divorce statistics show that close to half of all couples will head to a divorce attorney and have their nuptials dissolved, and with the rate being so high, there have been many studies aimed at determining why. Often men are blamed, but a new study conducted by Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute found that blame may fall on the women.

Researchers looked at the gene structure of 1,800 women, who have been with their partners for at least five years. According to their results, some women have a mutation on the gene receptors that create oxytocin, a chemical produced in the brain that enables the woman to bond with their children.

Oxytocin is sometimes called the love hormone.  Women with a mutation in the receptors that create the hormone have trouble bonding with their partners and are more likely to seek out divorce lawyers to end their marriages. This mutation can also explain why some women never get married.

Lead researcher of the study, Hasse Walum said, “We’ve found that oxytocin can be involved in human pair-bonding by showing that variation in the oxytocin receptor gene is linked to how strongly women bond to a partner.”

These are the same researchers, who discovered the male version of the “divorce gene,” called vasopressin, which makes it difficult for men to commit and stay faithful.

Despite the reason for an unhappy marriage, the couple who decides to part ways will benefit from hiring an accomplished divorce attorney.