Literature review shows that fathers are still not receiving the support they want and need from Swedish child health professionals

Wells, Michael B.

doi:10.1111/apa.13501

Cited by 75 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Additionally, the focus healthcare professionals have when giving professional support to expectant parents may leave out or include minorities, such as partners of pregnant women. Even though Sweden has been considered as one of the most gender equal countries in the world, the partners in the present study expressed that the professionals sometimes preserved traditional gender roles when talking about parenthood, for example, which is in line with earlier research [39, 40]. Therefore, partners regardless of their gender, should be visual in research concerning pregnancy and childbirth.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

‘To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe’: pregnant women’s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

Bäckström

Thorstensson

Mårtensson

et al. 2017

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

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BackgroundProfessional support does not always meet the needs of expectant fathers or co-mothers. The way in which professional support is offered during pregnancy varies internationally, depending on the country. In order to attain a greater understanding of partners’ experiences of professional support, it is necessary to further illuminate their perceptions of it. The aim of this study was therefore to explore pregnant women’s partners’ perceptions of professional support during pregnancy.MethodsQualitative research design. Partners of pregnant women were interviewed during gestational week 36–38. Individual semi-structured interviews were used to explore the partners’ perceptions. The data was analysed using a phenomenographic approach. The study was performed in a county in south-western Sweden; the data collection was conducted from November 2014 to February 2015. Fourteen partners (expectant fathers and co-mothers) of women who were expectant first-time mothers with singleton pregnancies, were interviewed.ResultsThe findings of the study are presented through four descriptive categories: Ability to absorb adequate information; Possibility to meet and share with other expectant parents; Confirmation of the partner’s importance; and Influence on the couple relationship. Using a theoretical assumption of the relationship between the categories showed that the fourth category was influenced by the other three categories.ConclusionsThe partners perceived that professional support during pregnancy could influence the couple relationship. The partners’ ability to communicate and to experience togetherness with the women increased when the expectant couple received professional support together. The support created also possibilities to meet and share experiences with other expectant parents. In contrast, a lack of support was found to contribute to partners’ feelings of unimportance. It was essential that the midwives included the partners by confirming that they were individuals who had different needs for various types of professional support. The partners perceived it easier to absorb information when it was adequate and given with a pedagogic that made the partners become interested and emotionally engaged.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

‘To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe’: pregnant women’s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

Bäckström

Thorstensson

Mårtensson

et al. 2017

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

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“…Still, today’s reproductive health care contributes to exclude men and put major responsibility on women, and thereby reproduce contemporary gendered norms for sexuality and reproduction. Similar gendered patterns have been found within Swedish child health care (31). This calls for a new societal approach.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Exploring men’s pregnancy-planning behaviour and fertility knowledge:a survey among fathers in Sweden

Bodin

Käll

Tydén

et al. 2017

Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences

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IntroductionResearch about pregnancy-planning behaviour mostly focuses on women, even though pregnancy planning usually also concerns men. The purpose of this study was to investigate how men plan for family, and to measure their fertility knowledge after having become fathers.Material and methodsData were collected in 2014 as part of a Swedish longitudinal pregnancy-planning study. Men were recruited through their female partner one year after childbirth. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about pregnancy planning, lifestyles, and fertility.ResultsOf the 796 participants, 646 (81%) stated that the pregnancy had been very or fairly planned, and 17% (n = 128) had made a lifestyle adjustment before pregnancy to improve health and fertility. The most common adjustments were to reduce/quit the consumption of alcohol, cigarettes, or snuff, and to exercise more. First-time fathers and those who had used assisted reproductive technology to become pregnant were more likely to have made an adjustment. Fertility knowledge varied greatly. Men with university education had better fertility knowledge than men without university education.ConclusionOur findings indicate that there is variation in how men plan and prepare for pregnancy. Most men did not adjust their lifestyle to improve health and fertility, while some made several changes. Both pregnancy-planning behaviour and fertility knowledge seem to be related to level of education and mode of conception. To gain deeper understanding of behaviour and underlying factors, more research is needed.

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“…Across the perinatal stages, fathers feel that midwives are often disrespectful towards them [17,18]. Fathers who reported being treated respectfully by healthcare professionals were four times more likely to describe the birth as a positive experience, as they felt that they had greater control, lower anxiety and believed their partner was safe [17]. Such findings in Sweden, considered a gender-equal society, suggests that experience of feeling excluded is likely to be experienced by fathers worldwide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…However, despite fathers attendance at births becoming more common, evidence suggests that men still do not feel welcomed by perinatal health professionals, In an analysis of 62 studies of perceptions about Swedish healthcare professionals from 2000 to 2015, Wells [17] found that fathers felt excluded at prenatal clinics and consequently unprepared for the experience of birth and fatherhood. Across the perinatal stages, fathers feel that midwives are often disrespectful towards them [17,18]. Fathers who reported being treated respectfully by healthcare professionals were four times more likely to describe the birth as a positive experience, as they felt that they had greater control, lower anxiety and believed their partner was safe [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wells [17] emphasises that fathers felt societal pressures to be an equal parent, but being treated as secondary made them feel unable to demand to the support and information they felt they needed. This had an impact on the division of parental duties and reflected the message from healthcare professionals that mothers are more important in caring for their children.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Be quiet and man up: a qualitative questionnaire study into fathers who witnessed their Partner’s birth trauma

Daniels

Arden‐Close

Mayers

2020

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

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Background: Research focusing on paternal mental health is limited, especially regarding the impact of the experience of poor mental health in the perinatal period. For example, little is known about the experiences of fathers who witness their partner's traumatic birth and the subsequent impact on their mental health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore fathers' experiences of witnessing a traumatic birth, how these experiences impacted their wellbeing, and what support they received during and following the traumatic birth. Methods: Sixty-one fathers were recruited via targeted social media to complete an anonymous online qualitative questionnaire regarding their birth trauma experience. Eligible participants were fathers aged eighteen or over, resided in the UK and had witnessed their partner's traumatic birth (that did not result in loss of life). Thematic analysis was used to analyse the questionnaire data. Results: Three main themes were identified: 'fathers' understanding of the experience' (subthemes: nothing can prepare you for it; merely a passenger; mixed experiences with staff; not about me); 'life after birth trauma' (subthemes: manhood after birth; inability to be happy; impact on relationships); and 'the support fathers received vs what they wanted' (subthemes: prenatal support; birth support; and postnatal support). Conclusions: Fathers reported that witnessing their partner's traumatic birth had a significant impact on them. They felt this affected their mental health and relationships long into the postnatal period. However, there is no nationally recognised support in place for fathers to use as a result of their experiences. The participants attributed this to being perceived as less important than women in the postnatal period, and maternity services' perceptions of the father more generally. Implications include ensuring support is available for both the mother and father following a traumatic birth, with additional staff training geared towards the father's role.

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Literature review shows that fathers are still not receiving the support they want and need from Swedish child health professionals

Abstract: To provide fathers in Sweden with greater support throughout the child health field, organisational changes should be considered, as this could provide further beneficial outcomes for children, families and society.

Cited by 75 publications

References 55 publications

‘To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe’: pregnant women’s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

‘To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe’: pregnant women’s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

Exploring men’s pregnancy-planning behaviour and fertility knowledge:a survey among fathers in Sweden

Be quiet and man up: a qualitative questionnaire study into fathers who witnessed their Partner’s birth trauma

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