EXCLUSIVE Why women want to see more of their friends at a certain time of the month By SOPHIE FREEMAN Published: 17:36 EDT, 9 March 2025 | Updated: 17:41 EDT, 9 March 2025 e-mail View comments Women want to see their friends and family more in the second half of their monthly cycles, a study suggests. Connecting with our nearest and dearest becomes more important two weeks after ovulation when an egg is released, researchers found. They said women evolved to 'affiliate' with those close to them during this phase to ensure maximum protection if they become pregnant.
'The desire to spend time with [friends and family] is highest in the luteal phase compared to the other times in the menstrual cycle,' said lead researcher Dr Anastasia Makhanova from the University of Arkansas in the US. 'Throughout most of human evolutionary history, women spent a large portion of their lives in states of increased vulnerability to threats due to pregnancy and infant care,' they wrote in their research paper. 'The recurrent challenges posed by pregnancy may have shaped the development of self-protective strategies that help women combat those threats.
' An increased risk of illness in the early months due to the immune changes necessary for fetal development, and later, an inability to move fast if in danger, would have meant they needed trusted people around them to care for them in order to survive. Giving birth without assistance would also have been more risky. Women want to see their friend.
