Does Pregnancy Change The Father’s Brain? Here’s What We Know

Have you ever considered how pregnancy not only affects the mother’s body but also has an impact on the father’s brain? Well, according to psychiatrists Dr Hugo Bottemanne and Dr Lucie Joly, research is showing that it does indeed cause changes in the paternal brain as well.

In a recent article in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, Bottemanne and Joly discuss how human brain imaging studies have focused on the changes in the father’s brain after childbirth. It may seem surprising that something happening in another person’s body can affect someone else so profoundly, but experts in the field find it logical.

Evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin explains that both parents are biologically primed to parent, and research has shown that men also undergo changes in their brains similar to women during pregnancy and childbirth. These changes are not just hormonal, but also involve alterations in brain structure.

Studies have shown that fathers can experience changes in gray matter in various brain regions associated with parental motivation. One study in 2014 found increased gray matter in regions like the hypothalamus and amygdala, while decreased gray matter volume was observed in other areas.

Further research has shown that fathers exhibit functional changes in response to stimuli related to their children, with greater brain activation compared to non-fathers. A recent study compared brain changes in fathers from Spain and California during and after their partner’s pregnancy, revealing differences in brain regions associated with attention, empathy, and visual processing.

These changes in the paternal brain are possible due to neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to adapt and change even in adulthood. Instead of instinctual, parenting behaviors are thought to develop through spending time with the child and the brain adapting as a result.

Researchers emphasize the importance of governments offering paternity leave to allow fathers bonding time with their kids, which can benefit both parents’ mental health. While there is still much to uncover in this area, it is clear that pregnancy can lead to significant changes in the brains of both mothers and fathers.

Longitudinal studies are needed to compare brain changes in fathers during preconception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. Understanding the cerebral processes affecting the paternal brain is crucial for gaining insight into the complexities of parenthood.