Couvade Syndrome: When men become pregnant

I saw an ad on Facebook yesterday. It was hilarious. It was of a Ghanaian couple advertising an app which could transfer pregnancy symptoms from wife to husband, so he can share in her pregnancy and labour pains. How sweet.

The ad was intended to be a joke, but some men actually physically share in their wives pregnancies. It might sound like the strangest thing, but this condition is real.

Couvade syndrome also known as “Sympathetic Pregnancy”, is a condition where a man who lives with a pregnant woman develops symptoms of pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters of the pregnant woman.

Some men have been known to experience weight gain, bloating, morning sickness, swelling, constipation, cravings, and other common pregnancy symptoms. Weird, isn’t it?

Even more surprising is the fact that in severe cases, they experience labour pains and even go on to battle postpartum depression afterwards. Hmmm!

The exact cause of Couvade syndrome is not yet well understood, especially as it is not recognized as a mental illness or disease; but this doesn’t remove from the fact that it is pretty common.

Some theories suggest it is caused by physical factors. The stress and empathy a man feels when his partner is pregnant (if he’s the caring type of course), can lead to hormonal imbalance, which causes his testosterone, cortisol and prolactin levels to be out of sync. A lower testosterone level, coupled with increasing cortisol and prolactin levels in a man, could bring on a barrage of  symptoms which mimic those of pregnancy.

Another theory suggests it is caused by psychological factors. One explanation is that the man feels neglected by the pregnant woman, and he develops symptoms of pregnancy to get some attention. What a way to get attention though!

It can also be caused by cold feet, some men are not ready or have mixed feelings about becoming dads. They never hexperrerit!

Another psychological reason given is that the man is the competitive type who doesn’t want to be outdone by his pregnant partner, or he is just jealous that a woman has the ability to procreate.

What ever the real cause is, my question in all of this is “who will now take care of who?”

Dear husband, If you want to sympathize with me, massages and foot rubs will do just fine; or better still, go and get me that peppered snail I’ve been craving for some days now. You can’t come and go and be crying more than the bereaved.

As a solution to couvade syndrome, expectant dads are advised to manage stress so as not to get overwhelmed by their partner’s pregnancy. Men who develop cold feet about fatherhood should seek advice and encouragement from other dads; while those who feel left out and neglected should partake in activities that will make them more involved in the pregnancy. They can try following the woman to her antenatal appointments or just discussing their feelings with them.

Also, pregnant women should get their partners involved in the pregnancy as early as possible; it’s easy for a woman to get all caught up in her morning sickness and the excitement of becoming a mother, that the man is completely ignored. Please, don’t ignore your husband to the point that he will go couvade on you; there are too many pot-bellies in town already! 

Have you experienced/witnessed Couvade syndrome? What would you do if your husband developed Couvade syndrome? Share your thoughts!