Couvade syndrome

Couvade syndrome, also called sympathetic pregnancy, is a condition in which a man experiences some of the same symptoms and behavior of an expectant mother. These most often include minor weight gain, altered hormone levels, morning nausea, and disturbed sleep patterns. In more extreme cases they can include labor pains, postpartum depression, and nosebleeds.^[1] The labor pain symptom is commonly known as sympathy pain.

Couvade syndrome is not a recognized medical condition.^[2] Its source 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.

The term "couvade" is borrowed from French (where it is derived from the verb couver "to brood, hatch"); the use in the modern sense derives from a misunderstanding of an earlier idiom faire la couvade, which meant "to sit doing nothing."^[3] The term was coined by anthropologist, E.B. Tylor in 1865 to describe certain rituals fathers in several cultures adopt during pregnancy. For example, the medieval Basque custom in which the father, during or immediately after the birth of a child, took to bed, complained of having labour pains, and was accorded the treatment usually shown women during pregnancy or after childbirth. Similarly, in Papua New Guinea, fathers built a hut outside the village and mimics the pains of labour until the baby is born. Similar rituals occur in other cultural groups in Thailand, Russia, China and many indigenous groups in the Americas. In some cultures, "sympathetic pregnancy" is attributed to efforts to ward off demons or spirits from the mother or seek favour of supernatural beings for the child.^[4] Couvade has been reported by travelers throughout history, including the Greek geographer Strabo (3.3.7 and 4.17) and the Venetian traveler Marco Polo. ^{[citation needed]}

Symptoms

Symptoms experienced by the partner can include stomach pain, back pain, indigestion, changes in appetite, weight gain, diarrhea, constipation, headache, toothache,^[5] cravings, nausea, breast augmentation, hardening of the nipple and insomnia.^[2] In some extreme cases, fathers can grow a belly similar to a 7-month pregnant woman and gain weight up to 14 kilograms ("false pregnancy"). ^{[citation needed]}

Psychological theories

The causes of couvade syndrome have not yet been determined to a medical certainty, but hypotheses have been advanced.

In the past, many purely psychological causes that were suggested included anxiety, pseudo-sibling rivalry, identification with the fetus, ambivalence about fatherhood, a statement of paternity, or parturition envy.^[5]

In "Psycho-Evolutionary" theory, it is thought that couvade is a way to minimize sexual differences in the pregnancy and birthing experience. The couvade may also be a way to establish the father's role in the child's life and to give balance to the gender roles. Couvade is more common where sex roles are flexible and the female is of a dominant status.^[6]

Physiological theories

Studies have shown that the male partner cohabitating with a pregnant female will experience hormonal shifts in his prolactin, cortisol, estradiol, and testosterone levels,^[7] typically starting at the end of the first trimester and continuing through several weeks post-partum.^[7]

References

^ Counihan, p.69
^ ^a ^b "Men suffer from phantom pregnancy". BBC. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
^ New Oxford American Dictionary (OUP, 2nd ed., 2005), p. 390.
^ "Couvade Syndrome". The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
^ ^a ^b Klein, 1991
^ Abensour, Léon. Histoire générale du féminisme.
^ ^a ^b A.E. Storey (2000). "Hormonal Correlates of Paternal Responsiveness in new and expectant fathers". Evolution and Human Behavior. 21: 79–95. doi:10.1016/S1090-5138(99)00042-2. PMID 10785345. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Klein, H. Couvade syndrome: male counterpart to pregnancy. Int J Psychiatry Med, 21: 1, 1991, 57-69.
Counihan, Carole. The Anthropology of Food and Body: Gender, Meaning, and Power. New York: Routledge, 1999.

Symptoms

Psychological theories

Physiological theories

References

Further reading