Are romantic relationships, marriage, and motherhood "friendship killers"?

They can be. Here are several possible scenarios that can set the stage for fractured friendships.

• Your best friend is single and sparks are flying between you and a new guy who promises to be a keeper. You used to spend many hours each week doing girl things together with your friend, commiserating over how hard it was to meet someone like him. Now that you found him, your friendship time is more limited...

• You're happily married, productively employed, and have only a finite time in your frenetic life for play. Like most men, your hubby is less invested in same-sex friendships than you are. Do you leave him home on Saturdays and do the things you used to do with girlfriends when you were single?

• You're married with young children who demand your time, three of them. How much time will you have to devote to your friend whose husband has been assigned to work abroad for a month? What message are you giving if you can’t be there for her now?

There are no right or wrong answer to these questions. Whether your female friendships will survive depends on a number of factors including the nature of other demands on your life, and how much you value and are willing to invest in your friendship.

And even though you may not be able to maintain every female friendship at the same level or intensity, you can choose to focus and devote your time to the ones you value most.