Couvade syndrome

This article is about the medical term. For the male pregnancy ritual, see Couvade.

Couvade syndrome, also called sympathetic pregnancy, is a proposed condition in which an expectant parent who is not pregnant experiences some of the same symptoms and behavior as their pregnant partner.[1] These most often include major weight gain, altered hormone levels, morning nausea, and disturbed sleep patterns. In more extreme cases, symptoms can include labor pains, fatigue, postpartum depression, and nosebleeds. The labor pain symptom is commonly known as sympathy pain.

The source of Couvade syndrome is a matter of debate. Some believe it to be a psychosomatic condition, while others believe it may have biological causes relating to hormone changes.[2]

The name derives from "couvade", a class of male pregnancy rituals.

Symptoms

Symptoms experienced by the partner can include stomach pain, back pain, indigestion, changes in appetite, weight gain, acne, diarrhea, constipation, headache, toothache,[3] cravings, nausea, breast augmentation, breast growth, dry navel, hardening of the nipple, excessive earwax, and insomnia.[2] A qualitative study listed 35 symptoms from Couvade literature, including gastrointestinal, genitourinary, respiratory, oral or dental, stiffening of the glutes, generalized aches and pains, and other symptoms.[4]

Proposed explanations

Studies have shown that expectant fathers experience hormonal shifts during their partner's pregnancy, including increased levels of prolactin, cortisol, and estradiol and decreased levels of testosterone.[5] These hormonal changes typically begin at the end of the first trimester and continue through several weeks postpartum,[6] and are thought to promote caregiving behaviors in new fathers.[5] Research has demonstrated that men with more symptoms of Couvade syndrome have higher levels of prolactin and larger decreases in testosterone in comparison to men with fewer symptoms.[6]

Psychological causes suggested have included anxiety, pseudo-sibling rivalry, identification with the fetus, ambivalence about fatherhood, or parturition envy.[3] According to Osvlosky and Culp (1989), pregnancy causes the male counterpart to experience an emergence of ambivalence as well as a recurrence of Oedipal conflict.[7] In 1920s France, Couvade was claimed to be more common in conditions where sex roles are flexible and the female is of a dominant status.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Lack, Evonne (April 2012). "Strange but true: Couvade syndrome (sympathetic pregnancy)". Baby Center. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Partners suffer from phantom pregnancy". BBC. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b Klein, Hilary (1991). "Couvade syndrome: Male counterpart to pregnancy". International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. 21 (1): 57–69. doi:10.2190/FLE0-92JM-C4CN-J83T. PMID 2066258. S2CID 31911721.
  4. ^ Brennan, Arthur; Marshall-Lucette, Sylvie; Ayers, Susan; Ahmed, Hafez (February 2007). "A qualitative exploration of the Couvade syndrome in expectant fathers" (PDF). Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. 25 (1): 18–39. doi:10.1080/02646830601117142. S2CID 59408475.
  5. ^ a b Wdowiak, Krystian; Maciocha, Agnieszka; Wąż, Julia (2025-06-01). "Couvade Syndrome: History and Current Perspectives". Journal of Psychosexual Health 26318318251343403. doi:10.1177/26318318251343403. ISSN 2631-8318.
  6. ^ a b Storey, Anne E.; Walsh, Carolyn J.; Quinton, Roma L.; Wynne-Edwards, Katherine E. (March 2000). "Hormonal correlates of paternal responsiveness in new and expectant fathers". Evolution and Human Behavior. 21 (2): 79–95. Bibcode:2000EHumB..21...79S. doi:10.1016/S1090-5138(99)00042-2. PMID 10785345.
  7. ^ Brennan, Arthur; Ayers, Susan; Ahmed, Hafez; Marshall-Lucette, Sylvie (August 2007). "A critical review of the Couvade syndrome: the pregnant male" (PDF). Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. 25 (3): 173–89. doi:10.1080/02646830701467207. S2CID 6557207.
  8. ^ Abensour, Léon (1921). Histoire générale du féminisme des origines à nos jours [General History of feminism origins to the present day] (in French). Delagrave. p. 11. OCLC 220162157.

Further reading

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