Professor Larisa Volkova has revealed that men can experience pregnancy symptoms because their hormone levels shift when their partners are expecting a child.
Speaking to the Russian newspaper KP.RU, the doctor of medical sciences said that biological changes in expectant fathers can trigger morning sickness, swelling, mood swings, fatigue and weight gain.
Volkova stated that pregnancy symptoms manifest to some degree in approximately 35 percent of men whose wives are expecting.
The condition, known in medical literature as Couvade syndrome or sympathetic pregnancy, causes men to undergo physical and psychological symptoms that mirror those of their pregnant partners.
Volkova explained that a man's hormonal balance undergoes clear shifts while his wife is expecting. Testosterone levels decrease during this period, which she noted helps the partner become gentler and tune in to caring for the child.
In male physiology, testosterone is the principal sex hormone responsible for muscle mass, bone density and reproductive health. Doctor of Medical Sciences is the highest post-doctoral academic degree awarded in Russia, requiring extensive published research beyond a candidate degree.
Hormones driving paternal symptoms
Estradiol levels can also drop in expectant fathers, Volkova said. Estradiol is a primary form of estrogen that plays an essential role in regulating male libido and sexual function.
In contrast to declining testosterone and estradiol, other key hormones rise during a partner's pregnancy. Volkova noted that prolactin and cortisol levels can both increase in expectant fathers.
Prolactin is a peptide hormone produced by the pituitary gland that contributes to the development of paternal feelings and bonding. Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone, which Volkova explained is responsible for heightened feelings of responsibility and anxiety in men preparing for fatherhood.
The combination of lower testosterone and elevated stress hormones explains why men often report physical fatigue, emotional mood swings and fluid retention alongside their pregnant partners.
Related reproductive research in Moscow
Volkova shared her findings with KP.RU, a major Moscow-based daily newspaper and digital news portal that regularly publishes medical experts and science coverage.
The report on male pregnancy symptoms follows earlier coverage of reproductive science milestones in Russia, including the case of a 60-year-old researcher who gave birth after freezing her eggs.
Marina K., a candidate of biological sciences and staff member at RUDN University who specializes in the study of aging, delivered her third child after using egg cells she had frozen in 2010.
RUDN University, formally known as the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, is a public research university located in Moscow that is recognized for its medical and biological research faculties.
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a reproductive technology that allows women to harvest and store eggs for future pregnancy through assisted reproduction.
