Couples who share childcare duties equally have more fulfilling sex lives and are more content in their relationship, according to US researchers.
A Georgia State University study presented to the American Sociological Association looked at 487 low-to-moderate income families - all heterosexual couples - from 2006 onwards.
It found that when women performed more than 60% of emotional childcare duties - such as rule-making, praising and playing - relationship and sex life satisfaction were at their lowest levels and conflict at its highest.
However where men took on the greater share, relationships and sex lives were not as adversely affected.
The study did not take into account activities such as feeding and bathing.
Study leader Dr Daniel Carlson said: "One of the most important findings is that the only childcare arrangement that appears really problematic for the quality of both a couple's relationship and sex life is when the woman does most or all of the childcare.
"We are trying to understand what is it about sharing that couples view so positively."
According to Prof Sir Cary Cooper, an expert in organisational psychology and health at Manchester Business School, the findings could reflect the personality of the men involved.
"If you have a 'new' man who is happy to share childcare, he probably invests more in the relationship anyway," he told the BBC.
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