A HAPPY marriage may depend more on genetics than sharing household chores, researchers say.
They found having one quirk in the gene linked to the “cuddle hormone” oxytocin boosts the odds of a long-lasting relationship.
And they believe it could be more important than who does the ironing.
One variation is known to make people more sociable, empathetic and emotionally stable.
The US study showed relationships are strongest if at least one of the partners has this trait.
Yale School of Public Health in Connecticut, took saliva from 178 married, straight couples and quizzed them about their feelings of marital security and satisfaction. Those with the desirable variant were typically happier and more stable.
Study leader Dr Joan Monin said: “It seems there may be genetic influences that make it more or less likely for both partners to be satisfied.”
The genetic difference accounted for about four per cent on the scale of marital satisfaction — said to be small but significant.
There were 101,669 divorces of opposite-sex couples in England and Wales in 2017.