Couvade Syndrome In Fathers

Couvade symptom is a psychosomatic reaction in response to the symptoms of pregnancy in men. It is an empathetic response to the signs of a woman’s pregnancy.

Some couples celebrate their future parenthood together and know that both have a responsibility to take care of their little one. The level of union and solidarity within the couple is such that the syndrome of the covade occurs in men.

Do men also have symptoms during their partner’s pregnancy? Believe it or not, this is a common occurrence in most couples. What Are the Symptoms of Pregnancy in Fathers? We discuss it in this article.

What is Couvade Syndrome?

This syndrome refers to the psychosomatic and involuntary manifestations in men associated with their partner’s or postpartum pregnancy. In other words, it is the set of symptoms of pregnancy that fathers exhibit.

The roots of the brood in fathers

The word Couvade derives from the French word “couver” which means to raise or incubate. The anthropologist Edward Tylor is the one who first used the term in 1865 to describe the set of rituals that men of primitive cultures do to prepare to receive their children.

For example, it was found that in Greece, the man imitated the pains of childbirth of the woman and stopped doing physical labor. From the birth of the baby, he himself held it on his chest as if he was going to breastfeed her.

On the other hand, in other cultures, such as Africa, the male participated in a form of ritual in which he felt the pains and anguish of childbirth.

The purpose of these rituals was to protect the baby and the mother from the forces of evil. But not only that: they also served to ensure that the father could establish a greater bond with his child.

The Couvade Syndrome Today

Currently, in many parts of the world, these types of rituals no longer exist. However, the common symptoms of pregnancy in the couple are still present.

In 2013, a study was conducted on 143 Polish men who were expecting a baby to identify the presence of brood syndrome.

Although, on average, expectant fathers did not suffer from the syndrome as such, they did have related symptoms. For example, weight gain, changes in appetite and gas.

Likewise, an article in the Journal Perinatología y Reproducción Humana indicates that the prevalence of pregnancy among fathers covers a very wide range, from 11% to 97%. For this reason, it is very likely that almost all future dads will have symptoms of Couvade Syndrome.

Symptoms of pregnancy in fathers

The physiological origin of the symptoms of pregnancy in fathers is not known with certainty. However, Couvade Syndrome is believed to be a psychosomatic reaction to symptoms of female pregnancy in men.

Among the physical manifestations, from a medical and psychological point of view, of the connection between women and men during pregnancy, we find:

• Morning sickness or vomiting
• Appetite disturbances
• Weight gain
• Stomach pains
• Constipation
• Frequent mood changes
• Dizziness
• Abdominal and dental pain
• Tired
• Insomnia
• Reduced libido

Symptoms of pregnancy in fathers are linked to empathic responses to symptoms of their pregnant partner.

According to specialists, emotions or feelings, especially negative feelings, such as anxiety, are closely linked to physical reactions. This type of correlation is known as “compassion”.

What is the compassion?

Compassion is a term recently coined by Al Siebert to unite the words compassion and empathy. Compassion is used to resolve conflicts with other people.

Therefore, if a father feels overwhelmed by the anguish or discomfort experienced by his partner during pregnancy, it is very likely that he can develop physical responses, which in reality would be the projection of the Couvade Syndrome. .

Other causes

On the other hand, this behavior can also be due to hormonal changes in humans.

During the pregnancy of his partner, the man experiences an increase in the hormone prolactin and estrogen. This could explain the paternal behavior and some symptoms related to the Couvade syndrome.

Conclusions

Couvade syndrome is absolutely normal. It is not a psychiatric illness and it does not mean that men believe they are pregnant.

On the contrary, it is the product of the feeling of compassion to see their partner go through this sometimes painful process physically, mentally and hormonally. And anxiety, fears and insecurities are included. It is a somatization of the psychological experience of pregnancy.

Answer us, has something similar happened to your partner?