Prenatal relationship conflict behavior predicts childbirth experiences and birth outcomes

Despite evidence linking prenatal psychosocial stress and social support to perinatal maternal and infant health, no study has explored couple conflict behavior during pregnancy as a predictor of subsequent birth outcomes. The current study examines whether couples' positive and negative conflict behaviors during pregnancy predict their stress during the birth experience and gestational and birth outcomes. Forty-seven first-time expectant couples participated in a conflict discussion during pregnancy that was observationally coded. Several months later, following the birth of their child, couples reported on their subjective childbirth stress. By summing medical chart data on gestational outcomes and birth complications, we computed a cumulative birth risk score. Negative conflict behavior was related to higher cumulative birth risk scores, and conversely, positive conflict behavior was associated with lower birth risk, even after controlling for maternal pregnancy symptoms. Similarly, more negative conflict behavior predicted higher mother-reported birth stress, while positive conflict behavior predicted lower father-reported birth stress. However, birth stress effects became nonsignificant after controlling for maternal pregnancy symptoms. Although the pregnancy literature has focused primarily on maternal characteristics, these findings highlight the significance of couple interactions in predicting parental birth stress and birth outcomes. This study integrates psychological, behavioral, and medical chart data to enhance our understanding of how interpersonal factors influence gestational outcomes and the birth experience. These results have important clinical implications for potential couple interventions during pregnancy that can shape fetal development, the labor and delivery experience, and influence child and family health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).