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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

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Paternal involvement and support and risk of preterm birth: findings from the Boston birth cohort

Pamela J Surkan1,2, Liming Dong3, Yuelong Ji1

  • 1a Department of International Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA.

Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|November 17, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Paternal involvement and support during pregnancy are linked to reduced risks of preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA) births, particularly in low-income African American populations. These findings highlight the crucial role fathers play in improving birth outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Perinatal Epidemiology
  • Sociology of Health

Background:

  • Paternal involvement during pregnancy is a critical factor in maternal and child health.
  • Understanding the association between paternal support and adverse birth outcomes like preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA) is essential for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between paternal involvement and support during pregnancy and the risks of PTB and SGA births.
  • To identify potential protective roles of paternal engagement in pregnancy outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Boston Birth Cohort, including 7047 participants.
  • Employed multiple logistic regression models to analyze the relationship between paternal involvement, paternal social support, and family/friend support with PTB and SGA.
  • Focused on a predominantly low-income African American population.

Main Results:

  • Lack of paternal involvement was associated with a 21% increased risk of PTB (OR=1.21).
  • Lack of paternal support showed a borderline association with increased PTB risk (OR=1.13).
  • Both lack of paternal involvement and support were marginally associated with higher odds of SGA births.

Conclusions:

  • In this cohort, reduced paternal involvement and support during pregnancy were linked to increased risks of PTB and potentially SGA.
  • These findings suggest that active paternal engagement may play a significant role in mitigating adverse birth outcomes.
  • Further research is warranted to confirm these associations and explore intervention strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
Preterm birthbirth outcomespaternal involvementsmall-for-gestational agesocial support

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