Why Pregnancy Symptoms May Extend to the Male Partner

When a woman first finds out she is pregnant, she will most likely be overwhelmed by many different emotions—often all at the same time. And the emotional surge doesn’t stop there. Women are often reported to be more emotional and more sensitive throughout their pregnancy. Which makes sense when you consider the amount of hormonal fluctuations that a pregnancy brings on. But did you know that men can experience hormonal fluctuations during their partners’ pregnancies too? And that these hormonal fluctuations can bring on similar symptoms to those experienced by their pregnant partners? Mood swings, weight gain, nausea—there have been several proposed explanations for why the male partner would experience these and other symptoms of “sympathy pregnancy.” But recent studies have proposed that the hormonal shifts men can experience during their partner’s pregnancies may actually help in preparing them for fatherhood. Read more…