Men appear to gain weight during the transition to parenthood, and fathers are heavier than non-fathers. Paternal perinatal weight gain may set weight trajectories in midlife and have long-term health implications. Since men do not undergo the physical demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding, the specific mechanisms underlying weight gain in new fathers warrant investigation. This review aims to stimulate research on paternal perinatal weight gain by suggesting testable potential mechanisms that (1) show change across the transition to parenthood and (2) play a role in weight and body composition. We identify seven mechanisms, within three categories: behavioural mechanisms (sleep, physical activity, and diet), hormonal mechanisms (testosterone and cortisol), and psychological mechanisms (depression and stress). We also discuss direct effects of partner pregnancy influences (e.g., 'couvade syndrome') on men's body weight. In presenting each mechanism, we discuss how it may be affected by the transition to parenthood, and then review its role in body composition and weight. Next, we describe bidirectional and interactive effects, discuss timing, and present three broad research questions to propel theoretical development.

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Objectives-To assess the visualization rate and size of the frontal horns (FHs) and cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) in healthy fetuses throughout pregnancy.Methods-After Institutional Review Board approval, 522 consecutive uncomplicated singleton pregnancies between 15 and 39 gestational weeks were enrolled in the study. Ultrasound measurements of the anterior horn width (AHW), center from the horn distance (CFHD), distance from the FHs to the CSP, and CSP width were retrospectively performed using axial transventricular or transcerebellar planes. Available maternal body mass indices were recorded.Results-At least 1 FH was seen in 78% of the cases. The mean AHW decreased over the second trimester and plateaued in the third trimester. The CFHD plateaued in the second trimester and increased in the third trimester. Downside FHs were generally larger than upside FHs. More FHs were measured in transventricular (69%) than transcerebellar (31%) planes. Frontal horns were seen with high, low, and no confidence in 57%, 21%, and 22% of cases, respectively. No-confidence rates were 17% in the second trimester and 42% in the third trimester. The CSP was not visualized in 4% of cases; 15 of 19 cases of a nonvisualized CSP were scanned between 18 and 37 weeks. Mean body mass indices AE SDs were 27.6 AE 6.7 kg/m 2 for the patients in cases of a visualized CSP and 32.4 AE 9.1 kg/m 2 for the patients in cases of a nonvisualized CSP.Conclusions-Normative data for the fetal FH and CSP width were established. Frontal horns are more frequently seen on transventricular views and are difficult to confidently assess in the late third trimester. This study challenges previously reported data that the CSP is seen in 100% of cases from 18 to 37 weeks.

Childbirth is an important life event that has been understudied by psychologists. Parents may find birth to be stressful, painful, and frightening, or feel supported and calm. Birth experiences can be shaped both by preexisting psychological vulnerabilities and by medical events that occur during childbirth. The birth experience may influence both parent and child well-being, helping to shape the health of the new family. This paper introduces the Birth Experiences Questionnaire (BEQ), a brief 10-item measure designed to assess stress, fear, and partner support during birth. We administered the BEQ to 51 couples (102 parents) within 1-2 days of their child's birth. Categorical principal component analysis was used to test reliability and factor structure. The BEQ showed good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .81 for mothers, 0.80 for fathers) and internal consistency, suggesting it is acceptable for use as a unifactorial measure. The most variability was explained by a 3-factor solution, with the 3 factors reflecting Stress, Support, and Fear for mothers and Stress, Support, and Violation of Expectations for fathers. Prenatally assessed stress, depression, pregnancy-specific anxiety, and social support were all predictive of parents' BEQ scores. BEQ scores were also associated with infant Apgar scores and with couples' negative emotion word usage during an open-ended birth narrative. The BEQ differentiated between parents who had more medically complex births (e.g., labor induction, complications, and C-section delivery) versus less complex births. In conclusion, the BEQ can be administered shortly after birth to both parents, and may capture important dimensions of the perinatal experience. (PsycINFO Database Record

Expectant parents’ responses to infant cry may indicate future risk and resiliency in the parent-child relationship. Most studies of parental reactivity to infant cry have focused on mothers, and few studies have focused on expectant fathers, although fathers make important contributions to parenting. Additionally, although different responses to infant cry (behavioral, psychological and neural) are hypothesized to track together, few studies have analyzed them concurrently. The current investigation aimed to address these gaps by characterizing multimodal responses to infant cry within expectant fathers and testing whether prenatal testosterone moderates these responses. Expectant fathers responded to infant cry vs frequency-matched white noise with increased activation in bilateral areas of the temporal lobe involved in processing speech sounds and social and emotional stimuli. Handgrip force, which has been used to measure parents’ reactivity to cry sounds in previous studies, did not differentiate cry from white noise within this sample. Expectant fathers with higher prenatal testosterone showed greater activation in the supramarginal gyrus, left occipital lobe and precuneus cortex to cry sounds. Expectant fathers appear to interpret and process infant cry as a meaningful speech sound and social cue, and testosterone may play a role in expectant fathers’ response to infant cry.