Preparation for fatherhood: A role for olfactory communication during human pregnancy?

Publication date: Available online 10 April 2019Source: Physiology & BehaviorAuthor(s): C. Allen, K.D. Cobey, J. Havlíček, F.P. Singleton, A.C. Hahn, C.N. Moran, S.C. RobertsAbstractThere is evidence across a range of bi-parental species that physiological changes may occur in partnered males prior to the birth of an infant. It has been hypothesised that these hormonal changes might facilitate care-giving behaviours, which could augment infant survival. The mechanism that induces these changes has not been identified, but evidence from several species suggests that odour may play a role. The current study investigated this in humans by recording testosterone and psychological measures related to infant interest and care in men (n = 91) both before and after exposure to odours from either pregnant women or non-pregnant control women. We found no evidence for effect of odour cues of pregnancy on psychological measures including self-reported sociosexual orientation and social dominance scores, ratings of adult faces, or testosterone levels. However, we found that brief exposure to post-partum odours significantly increased the reward value of infant faces. Our study is the first to show that the odour of peri-partum women may lead to upregulation of men's interest in infants.
Source: Physiology and Behavior - Category: Physiology Source Type: research