Last week, a group of us parents at my daughters' school were comiserating about how difficult pregnancy is, when one of the dads mentioned — in all seriousness — that HE suffered from moderate morning sickness while his wife was pregnant.
I'd never heard of an expectant father having morning sickness with their pregnant partner before, so it really made me pause and think, "Is that a thing?"
So BuzzFeed spoke to Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine about the topic, to see if there's any truth to his assertion.
Is it really possible for your partner to have morning sickness during your pregnancy?
Minkin: Yes. This is a well-recognized phenomenon called "couvade syndrome" — which has been observed since ancient times — in which partners develop what are traditionally pregnancy-related symptoms, such as morning sickness. There is even medical literature describing it dated as far back as 72 years ago.
"Couvade syndrome", also known as "sympathetic pregnancy", derives from the French word couvade, which means "to hatch" or "to brood", and is estimated by Scientific American to affect between 20-80% of expectant fathers.
Besides morning sickness, what other symptoms do partners experiencing a sympathetic pregnancy display?
Minkin: Weight gain is a very common symptom of sympathetic pregnancy. I've had plenty of patients whose partners gained a lot of weight during the pregnancy.
But according to the Mayo Clinic, partners of pregnant women can also experience heartburn, fatigue, abdominal pain, backaches, bloating, leg cramps, and even appetite changes.
But why? Why do expectant fathers — and non-pregnant partners — experience couvade syndrome?
Minkin: Most people think it's psychosomatic in origin, very psychologically-based.
Health professionals have suggested the reasons for couvade syndrome could include jealousy about their inability to carry, guilt over having caused their partner’s transformation, and deep empathy for their partner which manifests itself physically.
Is couvade syndrome limited to partners of the pregnant woman or can other family members experience this?
Minkin: Couvade syndrome is well-described not only in partners, but also in pregnant women's siblings, and even their dogs!
What should someone do if they are experiencing symptoms of a sympathetic pregnancy? Is there treatment available?
Minkin: Many partners end up seeking medical attention for their problem, not realizing it was related to the partner's pregnancy. But if a partner is suffering from traditionally pregnancy-related issues, it would be a good idea to seek some counseling. That should help.
Well, there you have it. Stay strong, guys.
