Background: Approximately 1 in 200 UK pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Although serious psychological effects of stillbirth on mothers are well established, much less is known about the impact of such loss on fathers. Aims: To assess the psychological morbidity of fathers in the pregnancy and post-partum year subsequent to a stillbirth, to test within-couple effects and to identify risk factors. Method: This was a community-based cohort study of 38 pregnant couples whose previous pregnancy had ended in stillbirth, and 38 pair-matched controls. Psychological assessments took place antenatally and at 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year postnatally. Results: Fathers in the index group experienced significant levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder antenatally, but all of their symptoms remitted postnatally (after the birth of a live baby). Fathers' symptom levels were lower than those of mothers at all time points. In contrast to mothers, fathers experienced greater anxiety when a subsequent pregnancy (following stillbirth) was delayed. Conclusions: The vulnerability of fathers to psychological distress during the pregnancy after a stillbirth needs to be recognised.
CITATION STYLE
Turton, P., Badenhorst, W., Hughes, P., Ward, J., Riches, S., & White, S. (2006). Psychological impact of stillbirth on fathers in the subsequent pregnancy and puerperium. British Journal of Psychiatry, 188(FEB.), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.188.2.165
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