Expectant Fathers' Attitudes Towards Pregnancy.

The majority of midwifery practice and literature focuses on mothers with little research on fathers-to-be. This study was undertaken in order to gain a better understanding of men's psychological response to pregnancy in their partners. Data from a questionnaire and attitude scale survey were collected from 141 expectant fathers. Anxiety was not reported in a significant proportion of expectant fathers and this was not associated with age, social class or number of previous pregnancies. However, a significant proportion of fathers reported symptoms of couvade and an indication that psychological and emotional state altered during pregnancy. The study suggests that it would be beneficial for health-care professionals to recognize the needs of the father-to-be in a more holistic manner.