Abstract
Author(s): BOGUMIÅA KIEÅBRATOWSKA1, MARIA KAŹMIERCZAK2, JUSTYNA MICHAÅEK3,URSZULA SIOMA-MARKOWSKA4
Introduction. Couvade syndrome, also called sympathetic pregnancy, is one of less knownphenomena that accompany men in the initial phase of fatherhood.Aim. The aim of the study was to assess how medical staff identify the signs of couvadesyndrome in partners of pregnant women and to analyze the manner in which pregnant pa-tients notice such symptoms in their partners, including psychological correlates.Material and methods. The study involved 60 heath care professionals and 63 patients of theObstetrics Clinic of the Medical University of Gdañsk in Poland. Couvade syndrome wasassessed using a survey containing 16 symptoms indicated by Lipkin and Lamb. Empathy wasmeasured with the use of Empathic Sensitiveness Scale (ESS).Results. The signs of couvade syndrome can be noticed by both health care professionals andpregnant partners. In the case of women, this identification of individual symptoms is asso-ciated with an empathy dimension and duration of the relationship. Conclusions. Increasedawareness concerning couvade syndrome both among pregnant patients and their partners aswell as in broadly-understood counselling, can contribute to the minimization of negativeexperiences associated with pregnancy