Effects of reproductive state on olfactory sensitivity suggest odor specificity

Previous studies of reproductive state and olfactory sensitivity in women have not directly compared thresholds for social and environmental odors. Here, we used successive dilutions presented in a staircase protocol to determine olfactory thresholds for androstadienone, a social odor produced by men, and rose, an environmental odor signaling a source of micronutrients essential for successful implantation, prenatal development and maternal health. Fertile women were more sensitive to the social than the environmental odor, while women using oral contraceptives, a non-fertile hormonal state similar to early pregnancy, were more sensitive to the environmental odor. This preliminary study sets the stage for further work on the interaction between hormonal states and sensitivity to specific odors with reproductive significance.