Body odor disgust sensitivity during pregnancy and the postpartum period
A longitudinal study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21651168 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michal Mikolaj Stefanczyk (0000-0003-4198-4512, Professional Services Group (United States)), Daniela Dlouhá (0000-0002-2968-1992, Charles University), Jan Havlı́ček (0000-0003-2374-7337), Jan Havlíček (Charles University), Kamila Nouzová (Centre of Civil Engineering (Czechia)), Šárka Kaňková (0000-0002-3087-7538, Charles University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 106855 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Evolution and Human Behavior (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1090-5138 • E-ISSN: 1879-0607 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2026.106855 |
| OpenAlex | W7140272705 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 72 |
Olfactory perception is a key component in the elicitation of disgust. General disgust sensitivity fluctuates during pregnancy as part of the behavioral immune system's protective mechanisms, but it is currently unknown whether a similar pattern applies also specifically to odor-elicited disgust. This longitudinal study examined changes in body odor disgust sensitivity during pregnancy and the postpartum period among 276 women, recruited in health centers. Participants completed questionnaires focused on body odor disgust, general pathogen disgust, anxiety, and nausea and vomiting in pregnancy at multiple points from early pregnancy until six months postpartum. The results revealed that body odor disgust sensitivity peaked in the first trimester, declined through the later trimesters, and reached its lowest point in the early postpartum period before increasing again at six months postpartum. This trajectory was found for body odor disgust directed at both own and other person's bodies. Importantly, body odor disgust sensitivity could not be explained solely by general pathogen disgust sensitivity, which suggests a distinct role for olfactory disgust in pregnancy. Our findings support the Compensatory Prophylaxis Hypothesis, which highlights the adaptive increase in disgust sensitivity during the especially vulnerable period of early pregnancy. The postpartum decline in body odor disgust may reflect either desensitization to infant odors or reduced social exposure. Future research could further explore the physiological and psychological factors which contribute to these changes
Disgust · Longitudinal study · Odor · Pregnancy · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
Elevated disgust sensitivity in the first trimester of pregnancy
My baby doesn't smell as bad as yours
Domain-specific variation in disgust sensitivity across the menstrual cycle
The Disgust Scale
Psychology as the Science of Self-Reports and Finger Movements
The Behavioral Immune System (and Why It Matters)
The behavioural immune system and the psychology of human sociality
Disgust as an adaptive system for disease avoidance behaviour
The development of a six‐item short‐form of the state scale of the Spielberger State—Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)
Statistical notes for clinical researchers
Comparing disgust sensitivity in women in early pregnancy and non-pregnant women in the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle
Investigating the relationship between olfactory acuity, disgust, and mating strategies
Disgust sensitivity is negatively associated with immune system activity in early pregnancy
Disgust sensitivity relates to affective responses to – but not ability to detect – olfactory cues to pathogens
Quantitative assessment of olfactory experience during pregnancy
Trends in Timing of Pregnancy Awareness Among US Women
Appetite Sensations and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy
Parents are Less Disgust Sensitive than Non-Parents, and Child Presence has No Effect on Parent Disgust Sensitivity
Does the source of an interpersonal odour affect disgust? A disease risk model and its alternatives
Microbes, mating, and morality
Error management theory
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |