well-being. HRP (high-risk pregnancy) has a negative psychological impact
on both parents. For men, this period is also associated with severe
stress-related symptoms, including being at an increased risk for the onset
of mental health problems including, but not limited to, anxiety and
depression.
This means that fathers are also in need of support in the context of
their role being perceived as only carer and supporter to their partners.
This research is also linked to a larger study focusing on the experiences
of fathers and HRP using an ethnographic, grounded theory approach.
Through our research, found that fathers are negatively impacted by a HRP
through the way in which they are treated by healthcare professionals.
Fathers often reported that healthcare professionals tended to only
inform mothers of the various treatment plans, prognosis of the treatment
and conditions experienced by both mother and baby, thereby excluding
fathers from the treatment process altogether and invalidating his
presence, experience and contribution towards the family unit as a whole.
