Parenting : 'Have a baby, lose your manhood!'

March 5, 2012 (WPVI) -- Dads are not off the hook when it comes to caring for a newborn - at least that's what our bodies seem to be telling us.

Researchers from Northwestern University studied 624 men in the Philippines, aged 21.5 to 26 years old, and noticed their testosterone levels dropped significantly after becoming a father.

Don't worry, read on.

It might be a good thing - at least that's what Lee Gettler, a co-author of the study, thinks.

"Fatherhood and the demands of having a newborn baby require many emotional, psychological and physical adjustments," Gettler said. "Our study indicates that a man's biology can change substantially to help meet those demands."

You can find more details on the study here.

Unlike some parts of the wild kingdom where a male animal sires an offspring and takes a hike, it seems we dads are hard-wired to hang around and help out.

I can hear all the mommies out there rejoicing right now. Ah, the validation!

The researchers at Northwestern believe the testosterone levels drop not only to allow the father to tend to his growing brood's needs - but also to prevent him from being distracted by other "options."

Options, you say?

In other words, lower testosterone tends to lead to more faithful fathers. As the researchers put it, "mating-related" activities may interfere with a new family.

Brings new meaning to the term "man up," doesn't it?

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matt o'donnell parenting reports, parenting, matt o'donnell

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