How did you announce to your loved ones that you were expecting? Did you and your partner hold hands and say “we are pregnant” to a room full of people? Even though in reality only one of you is carrying the baby, it does not mean both of you will not be going through physical and psychological changes.
Are you a parent-to-be experiencing the same symptoms as your pregnant partner? If so, you are not alone. There is even a name for it. Couvade syndrome, also known as sympathetic pregnancy, is a phenomenon whose definitive cause remains a mystery to this day. Men who experience this may present various pregnancy-related symptoms. Many theories to justify it have arisen since the term was first described by the anthropologist E. B. Tyler. One of them explains couvade syndrome by associating it with the hormonal changes men go through throughout their partner’s pregnancy, other suggests it represents the body’s biological response to this transitional period to parenthood, and so on.
These could be some of the symptoms for couvade syndrome
The symptoms for couvade syndrome can vary, and they may appear at any point during your partner’s pregnancy, ending with your child’s birth or a while afterwards. It is more common, however, to experience the symptoms on trimesters one and three. Some cases have reported feeling:
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Change in appetite, flowed by weight gain
- Abdominal pain
- Genital irritation
- Food cravings
- Insomnia
- Heartburn
- Backaches
- Reduced libido
- Fatigue
- Leg cramps
What can I do?
The bad news is there is no treatment available. However, the good news is there is no need for it. Couvade syndrome manifestations tend to follow your partner’s symptoms, so they will go away on their own. Nevertheless, especially in the more severe cases, it is always useful to get professional help. Managing your stress and anxiety can be very helpful. Remember that, in any case, it is always important to be open with your loved ones about what you are feeling.
Becoming a parent is much more than a biological process, it also involves physical and psychological changes. Most of all, what couvade syndrome shows is how transforming parenthood is even when you are not the one carrying the baby inside of you. It transforms your identity, it can affect your hormones, and it introduces you to a new kind of love.
References:
- Center, M. V. (2016, December 8). Couvade Syndrome: Pregnancy Symptoms in Men. Men’s Vitality Center, Tucson AZ. http://tucson.mensvitalitycenter.com/blog/common-mens-health-treatments/couvade-syndrome-pregnancy-symptoms-in-men/
- Couvade: Is sympathetic pregnancy real? (2019, June 13). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/couvade-syndrome/faq-20058047
- Navas, M., García Albea, J. & García-Parajuá, P. (2017). Pregnancy in men: Couvade syndrome. European Psychiatry, 41(S1), S415-S415. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.362
- Ramchandani, A. (2021, June 3). When Men Get Pregnancy Symptoms. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/06/when-men-get-pregnancy-symptoms-couvade-syndrome/619083/