By Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri

Few months ago, a man walked into my consulting room looking both embarrassed and bewildered. He was in his mid-30s, neatly dressed, articulate and clearly uncomfortable about why he had come.

After a long pause, he said quietly : “Doc, I think there is something wrong with me.”
He reeled out his complaints and they sounded strangely familiar: nausea, persistent fatigue, disturbed sleep, a huge appetite, an unexplained irritability, occasional abdominal bloating and low back pain.
As expected, he had visited several Doctors and conducted medical tests. Quite interestingly, they returned normal. While asking questions about his sexual history, he explained that he hadn’t been sexually active because his wife was pregnant. This information changed the dynamic of the conversation.
For me, this was not the first time I had encountered this type of situation. The condition, Couvade Syndrome also called Sympathetic pregnancy, has its origins from the French word “to hatch” or “ to brood”. It is a phenomenon where men whose partners are pregnant begin to experience pregnancy-like symptoms themselves. In addition to the previous symptoms my patient also presented with anxiety, sleep problems, weight gain and even mild depression.
According to research and clinical experience, although the condition sounds hilarious and quite unusual, it reflects a complex interaction of emotional and psychological factors. In the case of my patient, this was his first child and while he was excited, he was also anxious. He was worried about the financial and social pressure, the health of the baby, the responsibility of being a father and caring for a baby.
He shared that his wife also suffered severe morning sickness, which made her nauseous, vomit profusely and have food cravings in addition to other symptoms. To cater to her, he had to take on extra responsibilities at home. He stayed up late and helped her clean up after herself. He found out that gradually, his body started to mirror her experiences. In some men, the emotional transition to fatherhood triggers physical symptoms which may be linked to empathy, anxiety, hormonal shifts and psychological adjustment. While the mind was overwhelmed and couldn’t express itself fully, the body spoke what it could not.
After I explained to the young expectant father, he laughed with relief and told me he felt a wash of emotions over him. He was reassured and encouraged to manage stress, have open communication with his wife and me, his therapist. Over the next couple of weeks, his symptoms resolved as they got ready for their bundle of joy; a beautiful reminder that parenthood transforms fathers too.
Remember there is no health without mental health.

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