Rapid evolution characterizes modern software systems, particularly evident with adopting continuous integration and delivery processes. However, while tools for maintaining monolithic architectures are well-established, there is a notable deficiency in methodologies for analyzing and managing changes within decentralized, microservice-based systems. As microservices increasingly become the backbone of cloud-native enterprise solutions, understanding the intricacies of how changes affect these systems becomes crucial. This paper investigates the impact of dependencies on the maintainability of microservice architectures and emphasizes the importance of managing these dependencies to prevent deterioration in system maintainability. We advocate for a systematic approach to dependency management that addresses the actual pathways through which changes propagate, providing a concrete alternative to traditional methods that often focus on symptomatic treatments such as anti-patterns and code smells.