Male pregnancy

This article is about pregnancy in male organisms. For the sympathetic condition, see Couvade syndrome. For pregnancy in transgender men, see Transgender pregnancy.
Pregnant male seahorse

Male pregnancy is the incubation of one or more embryos or fetuses by organisms of the male sex in some species. Most species that reproduce by sexual reproduction are heterogamous—females producing larger gametes (ova) and males producing smaller gametes (sperm). In nearly all animal species, offspring are carried by the female until birth, but in fish of the family Syngnathidae (pipefish, seahorses and the leafy seadragon), males perform that function.[1]

  1. ^ Jones AG, Avise JC (2003-10-14). "Male pregnancy". Curr. Biol. 13 (20): R791. Bibcode:2003CBio...13.R791J. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2003.09.045. PMID 14561416.