Couvade syndrome
Expectant parent who is not pregnant shows pregnancy symptoms
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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.
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, cravings, nausea, breast augmentation, breast growth, dry navel, hardening of the nipple, excessive earwax, and insomnia. 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.
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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. These hormonal changes typically begin at the end of the first trimester and continue through several weeks postpartum, and are thought to promote caregiving behaviors in new fathers. 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.
Psychological causes suggested have included anxiety, pseudo-sibling rivalry, identification with the fetus, ambivalence about fatherhood, or parturition envy. 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. 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.