It is a very exciting journey going through pregnancy and experiencing symptoms. From the day when you first find out about your pregnancy to the day you would deliver your baby would all be unique and amazing. There might be hard days and also very great days to deal with but whatever it might be it would always be a never in the lifetime kind of experience. But did you know when the lady is pregnant their partners the men too experience some of these symptoms? So if you are wondering What are the symptoms of a man when the woman is pregnant? stay tuned till the end of this article and we shall be answering all your possible queries.
Table Of Content
- What are the symptoms of a man when the woman is pregnant?
- Is Couvade Syndrome real?
- What is the cause of Couvade Syndrome?
- How common is Couvade Syndrome?
- How to treat Couvade Syndrome?
- Conclusion
What is it called when men get symptoms while the woman is pregnant?
When expectant fathers get the symptoms of pregnancy like their partners this is called as couvade syndrome. It is also called as pregnant dad syndrome or sympathy pregnancy. The symptoms get so realistic sometimes it becomes difficult to separate it from pregnancy symptoms. Some men even would have similar pain like the contractions that women experience during pregnancy.
Is Couvade Syndrome real?
Couvade syndrome hasn’t been included in psychological issues. There are not many research papers regarding the same. Whether it is real or not is still a thought pondering question. Dealing with pregnancy can be quite a stressful ride for some men. This can very much lead to physical manifestation. Feel free to talk to your partner about them and find methods to cope with all the stress. The transition into parenthood can be tiring but can also be done smoothly.
What are the symptoms of a man when the woman is pregnant?
Couvade syndrome can include symptoms more so like the symptoms of pregnancy, they may include –
- Gastrointestinal troubles.
- Back aches and pains
- Nausea and vomiting sensations
- Stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea
- Leg cramps
- Toothaches
- Heart burns
- Also symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Restlessness
- Sleeplessness.
All the above symptoms can come and go in different combinations or can happen all at a time. The symptoms can sometimes be very severe and unbearable. The symptoms usually occur in the first trimester that is the initial three months of pregnancy and would be reduced during the second trimester of pregnancy. But the symptoms can re appear during the third trimester of the woman’s pregnancy. All these symptoms would disappear after the birth of the child.
What is the cause of Couvade Syndrome?
There is as such no research that shows the exact reason behind the occurrence of couvade syndrome. But there are a number of theories that can lead us to the possible cause of couvade syndrome –
1. Somatic Symptoms – There can be actual physical symptoms because of the underlying emotional distress. The news of pregnancy and the journey through pregnancy can be very happy and exciting moment sometimes it can lead too serious emotional stress too. These emotional changes can lead to formation of actual somatic symptoms that can resemble pregnancy symptoms.
2. Hormonal Changes – There are few research articles that suggests that expectant dad’s can have a lot of variation in their hormone levels. They may experience a surge of estradiol and reduction of testosterone level. This can be an underlying reason for the pregnancy like symptoms of the father.
3. Feeling of attachment – Some men are more involved in pregnancy with their partner and are attached to the fetal movement. They participate in activities like listening to the heart beats, feeling the baby kicking, talking to the babies. As they step even closer to the role of a father they may feel very much attached to the baby and this can lead to couvade syndrome.
4. Psychological Reasons – Some doctors have come to believe that couvade syndrome can occur due to some psychological change. They might feel envious with their partner owing to their ability to get pregnant. There might also be chances of them feeling guilty about having gotten their partner pregnant. Sometimes it can also be due to creating a mark as a parent in the whole pregnancy journey.
Whatever the above reasons may be couvade syndrome occurs very often in men.
How common is Couvade Syndrome?
Men all over the world tend to experience this symptoms, so if you are going through the same do not feel out of the place. It happens with almost 25 – 54 % of men who have pregnant partners. But as the symptoms can sometimes be very mild that it can go unnoticed or the men wouldn’t discuss about their condition with anyone.
How to treat Couvade Syndrome?
As the symptoms disappear on their own there is exactly no need to approach for any treatment protocol. Once the baby is delivered the symptoms automatically disappear. If the symptoms are very severe and are leading to increase stress and depression then men can try meditation and de stress exercises which have helped many people. Yoga and meditation act as a very good combo in such situations. Also some men tend to try herbal methods to deal with their anxiety and body issues. If the gastrointestinal problems keep troubling there are a number of herbal teas and medicines that could help them.
Conclusion
So folks we have seen an elaborately what are the symptoms of a man when the woman is pregnant. I hope this article would help you have a better understanding of the situation that you are going through and also help you deal with your issues. When it comes to pregnancy is a journey on which both the partners travel. So if you are one of those expectant father’s who is experiencing couvade syndrome then feel very lucky that you could experience the pregnancy like your partner is experiencing. Because once the delivery is done all these symptoms would be gone. So while it is present enjoy the phase and feel free to discuss them with your partner. They would definitely of help as they are going through the same thing. So it would be a great idea to deal with these symptoms together.
Happy parenting!!