Couvade is a condition when the husband or significant other of an expectant mother experiences the same symptoms and behaviour as the mother-morning sickness, weight gain, hormone changes(I dont this because men and women have different hormones), also labor pain aka sympathy pain, postpartum depression and nosebleed.
Couvade to some is believe as psychosomatic basically mind over matter or what I would say is a method of somatization. I've heard of sympathy pain in i believe we can feel the pain that is inflicted by a loved one, but to physically feel the pain-has another different meaning i guess. No medical certainty has been determained but theoris has arrived-
Etic- In some societies believed that this was attributed by demons, spirits, inflicting this symptom to cause problems for the family.
Etic- Anxiety, identification with the fetus, ambivalence about fatherhood, partuition envy or statement of paternity.
Couvade is more common where male sex is flexible and female is dominant.
In some cultures the couvade is and important part of child bearing, where the man is seen to have to endure more of an emotional pain in witnessing the process. Though I understand that in our society this is the total opposite, and that women are more cared for since they themselves must endure the birthing process. I don't believe it depends on the matter of where sex is flexible or dominant, I believe it has to do with gender differences and gender roles, and how much more women/men are valued.
ReplyDelete