Fathers' experiences during their partners' childbirth and postpartum period: health vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maria Adelane Monteiro Silva, Antonia Tainá Bezerra Castro, Francisco Wellington Dourado Júnior and 3 others
PMID 42339927WHAT IT FOUND
Fathers in Brazilian maternity services described fear of infecting their partner and baby, uneven companion rules, and uncertainty about childcare.
They wanted active participation, but reported gaps in teaching on support, pain relief, breastfeeding, and newborn care.
Key findings
01Hospital companion rules were not uniform: some fathers could not be present for cesarean births, while companion access depended on the service.
02Fathers reported fear, worry, and insecurity about passing infection to their partner or child, which affected how fully they could take part.
03Fathers expressed insecurity about assisting with childcare and gaps in knowledge about care for the expectant mother, with prenatal partner inclusion identified as needed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only fathers were interviewed, so partners, babies, and healthcare staff were not included. The sample was small and came from selected hospitals in one Brazilian region, so it may not represent other settings. The study was done during pandemic restrictions, so the barriers described may not reflect ordinary maternity care. The paper reports experiences and perceptions, not whether including fathers improves clinical outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that including fathers improves birth outcomes. The study described experiences and barriers; it did not test an intervention or measure clinical effects.