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Sexual behaviour
Sexual feelings and behaviours change during the menstrual cycle. Before and during ovulation, high levels of estrogen and androgens result in women having an increased interest in sexual activity. Unlike other animal species, woman show interest in sex across all days of the menstrual cycle, regardless of fertility. When woman are most fertile, they tend to avoid situations that may result in sexual coercion.

Mate choice
Behaviour towards potential mating partners changes during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Near ovulation women are found to have increased physical attraction and interest in attending social gatherings with men. The intensity of mate guarding differs across the phases of the cycle, with increased mate guarding occurring when woman are fertile.

During the fertile phase, women experience more attraction, fantasies and sexual interest for extra pair men but not for the primary partner. They also engage in extra-pair flirtations and demonstrate a preference for extra pair copulation.

Voice
Preferences for voice pitch change across the cycle. When seeking a short term mating partner, women prefer a male with a low voice pitch, particularly during the fertile phase. During the late follicular phase, women demonstrate a preference for mates with a masculine, deep voice. Research has also been conducted on the attractiveness of the female voice throughout the cycle. During their most fertile phase of the menstrual cycle, female’s voices are rated as significantly more attractive. This effect is not found with women on the birth control pill.

Smell
Women’s preference for male’s body odour changes across the menstrual cycle. Males who score highly on dominance are rated as sexier by females, during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, during their most fertile phase of the menstrual cycle women show preference for the odour of symmetrical men. This effect is not found for women on the birth control pill. Also, during the late follicular and ovulatory phases, women prefer the scent of masculine men. The scent of androsterone (responsible for testosterone levels) is highly preferred by women during the peak of their fertility in the menstrual cycle. Moreover, women demonstrate preference for men with a scent that indicates developmental stability.

In regards to women's smell across the cycle, men have been found to use olfactory cues in order to know if a woman is ovulating. Using a rating of women’s odours, women who are ovulating are rated as more attractive by men. Men demonstrate preferences for the scent of fertile women.

Face
Preferences for facial features in mates also change across the cycle. There has been no difference found in preference for long-term mating partners during the menstrual cycle, however those seeking a short-term relationship were more likely to choose a partner with more masculine features than usual. This was found to be the case especially during the woman’s high conception risk stage and when salivary testosterone was high. However, when women are in the luteal (non-fertile) phase, they prefer men (and females) with more feminine faces. A preference is also shown for self-resembling faces and apparent health in faces during the luteal phase of the cycle. Apparent health preferences were found to be strongest when progesterone levels were high. Additionally, during the fertile phase, women show a preference for men with darker skin pigmentation. Research on facial symmetry is mixed.

Body
Preferences for body features change during the fertile phase of the cycle, women seeking a short-term partner demonstrate a preference for taller and muscular males. Women also show preferences of males with masculine bodies at peak fertility. Mixed research has been found regarding body symmetry preferences throughout different phases of the cycle.

Personality
In short term mates, during the fertile phase, woman show more attraction to dominant men who displayed social presence. For long term mates, shifts in desired trait preferences do not occur throughout the cycle.