Sympathetic+Pregnancy

Deron Brize

**Sympathetic Pregnancy**

__**Background Information**__
 * Sympathetic pregnancy**, also known as **Couvade Syndrome** or (as known in the U.K.) **Phantom Pregnancy** (Wikipedia, 2011), is a condition where the husband experiences similar symptoms to a woman that is currently pregnant. The medical term for Sympathetic Pregnancy, Couvade Syndrome, “is believed to be frst coined by Sir James Young Simpson, a Scottish obstetrician in the 1800s” (Martin, 1997). This syndrome is one that a male experiences by being in close proximity to a pregnant woman and usually occurs during the end of the first trimester and continuing through several weeks post-partum (Wikipedia, 2011). This condition is thought to affect 10% to 65% of men who are in close proximity to women that are pregnant (Martin, 1997). The chance that a man develops this “phantom pregnancy” seems to rise for those men who are married or consistently near/around a pregnant woman. There is no specified reason for this syndrome to happen to males but it is suspected that it may occur for several reasons that range from physiological reasons to psychological reasons.

__**Symptoms**__ Symptoms for Sympathetic Pregnancy range from psychological symptoms to physical symptoms. Some psychological symptoms that a male may experience are post-partum depression, anxiety and insomnia to name a few. More of the symptoms of Sympathetic Pregnancies affect the male in physical ways, which is why this condition is classified as a psychosomatic condition. Some of the physical symptoms of Sympathetic Pregnancy include indigestion, mood swings, fatigue, cravings, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and leg cramps to name several (Martin, 1997). Men may also develop weight gain of 25 to 30 pounds as well as a belly that resembles that of a 7-month pregnant woman (Wikipedia, 2011).

__**Treatments**__ The topic of Sympathetic Pregnancy is not well understood and the treatments for this condition are few. From mayoclinic.com it seems that the only way to handle the “phantom” symptoms a man faces is to manage stress related factors and prepare to become a father. Since these symptoms are thought to be partly because of psychological factors such as anxiety it is suggested that men experiencing Sympathetic Pregnancies take the necessary steps to relieve unwarranted stress.

__**Sympathetic Pregnancy Rituals**__ As mentioned earlier, the name Couvade Syndrome was first coined in the late 1800s. Although this term was coined in the 1800s this condition of males experiencing sympathetic pregnancies has been recognized by historians and writers for hundreds of years (BabyMed.com, 2009). In the past, across the world in different cultures, it has been observed that expecting fathers have performed certain rituals before and during their wife’s labor. Places like Greece, Thailand, China and the Basque province of Spain are some of the places where these Sympathetic Pregnancy rituals are held. These rituals were also sometimes held in different parts of North America and South America by different Indian tribes. These rituals were observed to include fathers who were expected to separate themselves from the rest of their village and “imitate labor pains or even feign illness and be waited on by their wives during labor and delivery” (BabyMed.com, 2009). This is when and why the term Couvade was developed. “Couvade, which comes from an old French word meaning “to brood” or “to hatch”, was first used to describe these strange rituals of impending fatherhood” (BabyMed.com, 2009). These Couvade rituals are not as present in today’s society but Couvade syndrome remains to be a diagnosis for those males that develop or experience the similar symptoms that a close proximity, pregnant woman experiences.

__**Causes**__ Sympathetic Pregnancy or Couvade Syndrome is thought to be a psychosomatic condition since there are no concrete reasons for why men experience the symptoms that a pregnant woman, which is usually a mate, is experiencing. There is thought to be physiological causes of this condition as well as psychological causes that usually manifest into physical symptoms to mimic women’s pregnancy symptoms.

__**Psychological Causes**__ There seems to be various psychological causes of this condition for men with one reason being anxiety (Wikipedia, 2011). With a new baby soon coming a father may become nervous about the new role as a father. This anxiety may cause a man to experience the symptoms a woman does such as becoming depressive. An alternate psychological cause of Sympathetic Pregnancy may be due to emotional attachment to the pregnant woman and the jealousy that may result at the fact that as men they are not physically able to carry a child (Lair, 2008). Various other psychological causes, as suggested by Wikipedia, that may bring about Sympathetic Pregnancy symptoms are pseudo-sibling rivalry, an attempt to identify with the fetus before it is born, ambivalence about fatherhood, a statement of paternity or a parturition envy” (Wikipedia, 2011). Regardless of the psychological trigger for this condition it seems to be considered a matter of the mind. Couvade Syndrome seemed to be heavily based on the theory that the symptoms that the men experienced that were similar to impregnated women was all a state of mind. In today’s time though it seems that there is some biological evidence for this condition arising.

__**Physiological Causes**__ In the past the most accepted idea about why Sympathetic Pregnancy occurred was due to psychological causes but modern times and studies have brought biological factors into the picture. Some evidence suggests that men with pregnant partners tend to have higher levels of female hormones such as estradiol (estrogen) in the blood (BabyMed.com, 2009). In some studies, although not 100% confirmed, show a rise in estrogen levels in soon to be fathers before and after the birth of the child. It has been shown as well that another hormone called prolactin which plays a role in breastfeeding and is thought to help both parents, the father more importantly, to become more nurturing. With the rise of these female hormones for men who are experiencing Couvade Syndrome some studies show an actual decrease in the male hormone testosterone (Martin, 1997).

__**Conclusion**__ Although there is no solid evidence to prove whether this condition is one that resides in the mind or is mediated mostly by biological causes Sympathetic Pregnancy is a condition that many men face. It seems as though this condition is began by psychological factors but manifests in a more physical form through symptoms such as morning sickness. Sympathetic Pregnancy, also known medical as Couvade Syndrome, is a poorly understood subject but it is still believed to be an accurate diagnosis for men that experience similar aspects of a pregnancy that a close pregnant woman experiences in some capacity.

__**References**__ Reeder, M., Koniak-Griffin, D. (1997). Maternity Nursing: Family, Newborn and Women’s Health Care. Lippincott: Philadelphia and New York. 18th edition

Monday April 11, 2011. Couvade Syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.birthsource.com/scripts/article.asp?articleid=191

Masoni, S., Maio. A., Trimarchi, G., de Punzio, C., Fioretti, P. (1994). The couvade syndrome. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 15(3):125-31.

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. April 1, 2011. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couvade_syndrome

Lair, L. (2008). Couvade Syndrome: Sympathetic Pregnancy Symptoms in Men. Retrieved from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/688625/couvade_syndrome_sympathetic_pregnancy.html?cat=70

Klein, H. (1991). Couvade Syndrome: Male Counterpart to Pregnancy [abstract]. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. Volume 21(1), 57-69. Retrieved from: http://baywood.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backt o=issue,6,12;journal,81,159;linkingpublicationresults,1:300314,1

Nippoldt, B. T. (2011). Couvade Syndrome: Is Sympathetic Pregnancy Real?. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/couvade-syndrome/AN02137

Monday April 11, 2011. Couvade Syndrome- Sympathetic Pregnancy: Dad Gets Pregnant Too. Retrieved from: http://www.babymed.com/pregnancy-symptoms/couvade-syndrome-sympathetic-pregnancy-dad-gets-pregnant-too

Couvade Syndrome [Picture]. Retrieved from: http://www.weirduniverse.net/blog/comments/1525/

Sympathetic Pregnancy [Picture]. Retrieved from: http://homogenius.multiply.com/journal?&page_start=120