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Cited by 296Family Dynamics and RelationshipsMaternal and Neonatal HealthcareMaternal and Perinatal Health Interventions

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 35 of the 35 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Fathers’ engagement in pregnancy and childbirth: evidence from a national survey

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Redshaw, Maggie, Henderson, Jane·2013·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
DOI 10.1186/1471-2393-13-70PMC PMC3607858
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Early involvement of fathers with their children has increased in recent times and this is associated with improved cognitive and socio-emotional development of children. Research in the area of father's engagement with pregnancy and childbirth has mainly focused on white middle-class men and has been mostly qualitative in design. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand who was engaged during pregnancy and childbirth, in what way, and how paternal engagement may influence a woman's uptake of services, her perceptions of care, and maternal outcomes. METHODS: This study involved secondary analysis of data on 4616 women collected in a 2010 national maternity survey of England asking about their experiences of maternity care, health and well-being up to three months after childbirth, and their partners' engagement in pregnancy, labour and postnatally. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, binary logistic regression and generalised linear modelling. RESULTS: Over 80% of fathers were 'pleased or 'overjoyed' in response to their partner's pregnancy, over half were present for the pregnancy test, for one or more antenatal checks, and almost all were present for ultrasound examinations and for labour. Three-quarters of fathers took paternity leave and, during the postnatal period, most fathers helped with infant care. Paternal engagement was highest in partners of primiparous white women, those living in less deprived areas, and in those whose pregnancy was planned. Greater paternal engagement was positively associated with first contact with health professionals before 12 weeks gestation, having a dating scan, number of antenatal checks, offer and attendance at antenatal classes, and breastfeeding. Paternity leave was also strongly associated with maternal well-being at three months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the considerable sociodemographic variation in partner support and engagement. It is important that health professionals recognise that women in some sociodemographic groups may be less supported by their partner and more reliant on staff and that this may have implications for how women access care.

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Statham H, Solomou W, Gree JM: When a baby has an abnormality: a study of parents’ experiences. 2001, Cambridge: University of Cambridge
  2. Odent M: Functions of the organism: the highways to transcendence. 2009, London: Pinter and Martin
  3. Lewis C, Lamb M: Understanding fatherhood: a review of recent research. 2007, Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Lancaster
  4. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: The english indices of deprivation 2004 (revised). 2004, London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

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Metadata

Authors
Redshaw, M., & Henderson, J.
Affiliations
University of Oxford (GB)
Corresponding author
Redshaw, Maggie
ORCID
Venue
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2013-03-20
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
70-70
ISSN
1471-2393 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/1471-2393-13-70
PMC
PMC3607858
OpenAlex
W2026570024
Cited by
296
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 2
FWCI
42.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute for Health and Care Research
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
Keywords
father involvement, childbirth, paternity leave, prenatal care, partner support, postpartum care, breastfeeding, maternal well-being, sociodemographic variation, planned pregnancy, primiparous women, socioeconomic deprivation, maternity care access
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Data Collection, England, Fathers, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Interpersonal Relations, Labor, Obstetric, Male, Mothers, Paternal Behavior, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, Linear Models, Parturition, Postpartum Period

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