Male pregnancy

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Male pregnancy refers to the incubation one or more embryos or fetuses by the male of any species. Almost all pregnancies in the animal kingdom are carried by female organisms. In all heterogamous species, the males produce the spermatozoa and rarely, if ever, host the zygote.^[1]

The Syngnathidae family of fish has the unique characteristic where females lay their eggs in a brood pouch on the male's chest, and the male incubates the eggs. Fertilization may take place in the pouch or before implantation in the water. Included in Syngnathidae are seahorses, the pipefish, and the weedy and leafy sea dragons. Syngnathidae is the only family in the animal kingdom to which the term "male pregnancy" has been applied.^[2]

Contents 1 In humans 1.1 Pregnancy among intersex and transgender people 1.2 Possible science of a human male pregnancy 1.3 Fetus in fetu 2 In fiction 2.1 Mythology 2.2 In popular culture 3 References

[edit] In humans

[edit] Pregnancy among intersex and transgender people

Some intersex people with XY chromosomes develop entirely female bodies and, if the individual has a uterus, can gestate an embryo conceived in the lab.^[3] The typical karyotype for a male is XY, so in this case the pregnant person has a Y chromosome.

Some transmen (female-to-male transgender people) who interrupt hormone treatments can become pregnant, while still identifying and living as male—this is possible for individuals who still have functioning ovaries.^[4] For example, Matt Rice bore a child in 1999 by artificial insemination during his relationship with writer Patrick Califia.^[5] Thomas Beatie, who chose to become pregnant because his wife was infertile, wrote an article about his pregnancy in The Advocate, and is due to give birth in July 2008.^[6] The Washington Post further broadened the story on March 25 when blogger Emil Steiner called it the first legally male pregnancy on record.^[7] This was in reference to the state of Oregon recognizing Beatie as a man, which California never did for Rice.^{[citation needed]} Although these individuals are genetically and physiologically female, from an identity standpoint they are pregnant men.

[edit] Possible science of a human male pregnancy

Since most men lack a womb, alternative measures would have to be made for an abdominal ectopic pregnancy. Oral doses of female hormones would be administered to the man to make him receptive to the pregnancy. In vitro fertilization techniques would be used to induce an ectopic pregnancy by implanting an embryo and placenta into the abdominal cavity, just under or into the peritoneum.^{[citation needed]} In women, such pregnancies have 5% viability rate. Once implantation was complete, the man would stop taking hormones, because the pregnancy itself would take over. The embryo would secrete sufficient hormones to maintain its own growth and development.^{[citation needed]}

The delivery would require open surgery (Cesarean section) to remove the baby and the placenta. The latter would be the real danger because it forms such intimate connections with surrounding blood vessels that a massive hemorrhage would be likely. Implantation might also involve other structures in the abdomen, including the bowel, and it is possible that parts of other organs might have to be removed. Several physicians who were well-accustomed to advanced and dangerous forms of ectopic pregnancies would have be on-hand to handle any complications.^{[citation needed]}

The real problem with a male pregnancy of this type is not its plausibility, but if the man could survive it. In women, ectopic pregnancies are generally removed as soon as possible. The fetus would also be in danger of complications because it would be deprived of the protection of a uterus.

An alternative to simple induction of an ectopic pregnancy is the use of a womb transplant from a donor, or an artificial one. The first uterine transplant was performed in Saudi Arabia in 2000, from one woman to another. This advance drew speculation about the possibility of a male receiving a womb transplant, and bearing a child from the transplanted womb. Womb transplants to males have been successfully performed in animals.^[8][9][10]

[edit] Fetus in fetu

Main article: Fetus in fetu

An extremely rare condition in which a fetus can grow inside a male (or female) body is called "fetus in fetu". This is a developmental abnormality in which a fertilised egg splits as if to form identical twins, but one half gets enveloped by the other, and an entire living organ system with torso and limbs can develop inside the host.^[11] The abnormality occurs in 1 in 500,000 live births.^[12]

The case of Sanju Bhagat, a man from Nagpur, India, attracted attention in 1999 for the length of time (36 years) he had carried his parasitic twin inside his body, and the size of the growth. Since Bhagat had no placenta, the growth had connected directly to his blood supply. ^[13]

[edit] In fiction

[edit] Mythology

Various mythologies feature male characters giving birth, but such events typically take place in an entirely different fashion than an ordinary female pregnancy, such as Athena springing fully-formed from Zeus's forehead, or Dionysus being born from his thigh. In Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu gives birth to Lord Brahma thus: a lotus emerges from his navel, like an external placenta and womb, carrying Brahma within. Male mythological figures may become pregnant when rendered female in some way, such as the shapeshifter Loki turning into a mare to distract a stallion and ending up giving birth to Sleipnir.

[edit] In popular culture

See also: Pregnancy in science fiction

Thematically, pregnancy can be related to the issues of parasitism and gender. Some science fiction writers have picked up on these issues, in "cross-gender" themes — e.g., Octavia E. Butler's Bloodchild. Ursula K. Le Guin's award-winning The Left Hand of Darkness, which contains the sentence "The king was pregnant", explores a society in which pregnancy can be experienced by anyone, since gender is variable within each person's lifetime. Lois McMaster Bujold's Ethan of Athos features an all-male society in which men use artificial wombs, but experience many of the psychological effects of pregnancy (anticipation, anxiety, etc.). In Marge Piercy's feminist utopian novel Woman on the Edge of Time, neither men nor women get pregnant, leaving that to artificial wombs, but both sexes may lactate and nurse the infant; the specifically female experiences of pregnancy and nursing were opened to men in the cause of gender equality.^[14] Sheri S. Tepper uses male pregnancy as a form of political commentary in The Fresco, when intergalactic peace officers take politicians at their word that all life is sacred.

Male pregnancy has featured on television. In season 4 of the popular machinima series Red vs. Blue, a Covenant Elite impregnated Tucker with a parasitic embryo. At the end of the season Tucker gave birth to a miniature alien off-screen; it was named Blargity-Blarg Tucker, and is also called Junior or Abomination.

Two comedy films centered around male pregnancy: Rabbit Test (1978) and Junior (1994). The latter's attempts are somewhat scientifically feasible; the former does not address the matter.

In the cartoon The Fairly Odd Parents, are the male fairies who carry the children. Babies are taken out by magic.

Virgil Wong, a performance artist, created a hoax site claiming to detail his pregnancy^[15] featuring a fictitious male pregnancy.^[16]

[edit] References