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

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Preparation for fatherhood can be anxiety-provoking. A father can often be nervous about not being nurturing enough but this article suggests that there might be an optimal solution to that worry. The solution being the body odor of pregnant women. The specific body odor form pregnant women could possibly change the levels of testosterone. By lowering the level of the male’s testosterone, it can show a change in the behavior of the male cause him to become more nurturing. Previous literature has suggested that there are possible hormonal changes that can influence care-giving behaviors in males. The researchers took this information and predicted that men who were exposed to pregnant female odor would reduce interest in mating, display increased paternal motivation, and reduced salivary testosterone levels. 
                  They proceeded to do this experiment by exposing men (split into different groups) to odors from pregnant women. The men then took a RAS test, gave a saliva sample, and pre and post click test of the attractiveness of men, women, and babies(timed). Unfortunately, after performing the studies, there was no significant evidence for olfactory communication and a father’s hormones. However, there is still some evidence of olfactory processing in the click test. Evidence shows that men that were exposed to early and late pregnancy odor had an increased time of how long they viewed the babies in the click-test. Something that can be expanded on. The study agreed that results might have been different if the participants were exposed to the odor longer. They also acknowledge that olfactory cues along with other cues can cause a change in testosterone and parenting behaviors. That looking at a cue in isolation might know to be enough. 
                  With all that being said though, this study has contributed to the discussion of the physiological and behavioral changes that can happen through odors. I’m interested to continue to look more into this as it is interesting for other senses.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938418311715

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