Couvade Syndrome

Couvade syndrome, also called sympathetic pregnancy, is a proposed condition in which an expectant parent who is not pregnant experiences some of the same symptoms and behavior as their pregnant partner, most commonly major weight gain, altered hormone levels, morning nausea and disturbed sleep. In more extreme cases the symptoms can include labor pains, popularly called sympathy pains, along with fatigue, postpartum depression and nosebleeds. Researchers debate its source: some regard it as a psychosomatic condition, while others argue it may have biological causes tied to hormonal change in the non-pregnant partner. The name derives from couvade, a class of ritual practices in which a father performs behaviors associated with childbirth.