Active Husband Involvement During Pregnancy: A Grounded Theory

• Published date: 01 October 2021
• Author: Brandon P. Eddy,Stephen T. Fife
• Date: 01 October 2021
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12486

B P. E University of Nevada Las Vegas

S T. F Texas Tech University

Active Husband Involvement During Pregnancy:

A Grounded Theory

Objective: The purpose of this grounded theory

qualitative study was to build a theory describ-

ing how husband involvement during pregnancy

impacts the couple relationship.

Background: The transition to parenthood

presents a signicant life change for couples.

Although many couples experience this life

cycle change, there is relatively little empirical

research on how husbands can meaningfully

contribute during pregnancy and how husband

involvement inuences the couple relationship

postpartum.

Method: Eleven heterosexual, married couples

were interviewed regarding husband involve-

ment during the couple’s most recent pregnancy.

Data collection included separate interviews

with each partner and with each couple.

Results: The results arepresented in a grounded

theory of active husband involvement during

pregnancy and its inuence on the couple

relationship postpartum. Accounts from partici-

pants indicate that active husband involvement

during pregnancy helps to strengthen the

couple relationship postpartum. Active hus-

band involvement consists of four interrelated

ingredients: helping with a positive attitude,

instrumental support, emotional support, and

responding in signicant moments. Couples

Couple and Family Therapy Program, University of Nevada

Las Vegas,4505 S. Maryland Parkway,Las Vegas, NV 89154

(brandon.eddy@unlv.edu).

KeyWords: Couple relationship, husband involvement,preg-

nancy, transition to parenthood.

described ve distinct ways the couple rela-

tionship was enhanced by active husband

involvement: increased trust, a more mature

relationship, greater love, enhanced communi-

cation, and continued support. The theory also

includes husbands’ efforts to navigate various

obstacles to active husband involvement.

Conclusion: Active husband involvement dur-

ing pregnancy consists of many behaviors and

leads to strengthened couple relationships post-

partum.

Implications: This study highlights the need

for a greater emphasis on the couple rela-

tionship during pregnancy and provides health

care providersand researchers with information

about how they can encourage active husband

involvement during pregnancy.

The transition to parenthood presents a substan-

tial life change for couples (Walsh, 2015). Many

couples experience joy and happiness during this

time; however, some also experience increased

stress and anxiety and decreased intimacy and

marital satisfaction (Fillo et al., 2015; Lawrence

et al., 2008). Many parents lack knowledge

about how to effectively navigate the transition,

feeling unprepared to make the change (Deave

et al., 2008). More specically, many fathers

report feeling unsure about how to provide sup-

port to their spouse during pregnancy (Deave

et al., 2008).

Although pregnancy can be a stressor on

the couple relationship, couples who have

higher marital satisfaction during pregnancy

1222 Family Relations 70 (October 2021): 1222–1237

DOI:10.1111/fare.12486

Active Husband Involvement During Pregnancy 1223

typically have healthier relationships postpartum

(Lawrence et al., 2008). Additionally, women

are less likely to smoke while pregnant and

more likely to receive prenatal care when their

partner is involved (Martin et al., 2007), provid-

ing evidence that prenatal husband involvement

can promote better health outcomes. Although

there is evidence that paternal involvement dur-

ing pregnancy is benecial to maternal health,

there is little research that investigates how

paternal involvement can benet the couple

relationship or how the couple relationship can

be strengthened during pregnancy. The purpose

of this study was to create a theory detailing

how husband involvement during pregnancy

can contribute to a stronger couple relationship

postpartum.

R   C L

Family Life Cycle

The family life cycle (Duvall, 1977) provides

a framework for different stages of develop-

ment that families will experience as they grow

and mature. Although there is great variability

in the course a family may take (McGoldrick

et al., 2016), the family life cycle is useful in

identifying challenges families may experience

during each stage of development, affording

researchers the opportunity to study each stage

and provide information about how families can

best navigate them (Bengston & Allen, 2009).

Families who fail to adjust to the different stages

in the life cycle are at risk for lower relationship

satisfaction and overall decreased family func-

tioning (McGoldrick et al., 2016).

Parenthood introduces a major life cycle

change for couples and is one of the most

common inducers of crisis for young families

(Pinquart & Teubert, 2010; Walsh, 2015). There

are many challenges and adjustments that must

be made during and after pregnancy. Pregnancy

and the birth of a child often have an impact on

marital quality (Mitnick et al., 2009), with mar-

ital quality seeing a modest decrease during the

rst 6 months postpartum; this is especially true

for wives who report low social support during

pregnancy (Walsh, 2015). Women reporting

low levels of prenatal support from their hus-

bands also report more symptoms of emotional

distress, which increases the risk of adverse

outcomes for women and newborns (Glazier

et al., 2004).

Understandably, most of the research related

to pregnancy focuses on wives and mothers

because pregnancy can be a challenging time.

Many women suffer morning sickness and

are at an increased risk for anemia, urinary

tract infections, sleeping difculties, and men-

tal health conditions, such as depression or

anxiety (Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

vention, 2016). Women also may experience

relational difculties during pregnancy (Simp-

son et al., 2003). Although both partners may

see a decrease in marital satisfaction over the

course of the pregnancy, some research sug-

gests that women’s marital satisfaction sees a

more severe decrease than men’s (Lawrence

et al., 2008). Furthermore, women are more

likely than men to suffer from depression during

pregnancy (Don & Mickelson, 2014), which

also puts them at increased risk for postpartum

depression (Simpson et al., 2003).

Paternal Involvement During Pregnancy

Fathers want to be involved during pregnancy

but often feel unsure about how to positively

contribute or experience challenges in their

attempts to participate (Xue et al., 2018). One

challenge men experience is balancing their

personal and work life with the new expecta-

tions occurring in their family life (Genesoni &

Tallandini, 2009). This could be related to soci-

etal views of gender, pregnancy, and parental

roles (Carter, 2002). In Western culture, the

role of fathers has changed from simply being a

breadwinner to being a partner who is involved

in all aspects of his child’s life (McGoldrick

et al., 2016). With this shift in expectations,

fathers may nd it difcult to determine what

their role is during pregnancy.

The transition presents the challenge of

accepting new members into the family system,

realignment of relationships with extended

family, renegotiation of household duties, and

learning to parent and coparent (McGoldrick

et al., 2016). It was long believed that copar-

enting did not begin until the new child was

born; however,it is now theorized that coparent-

ing begins during the prenatal stage (Darwiche

et al., 2016). Women who perceivetheir partners

as supportive during pregnancy and supportive

in coparenting consistently have higher levels

of relationship quality (Durtschi et al., 2017).

Coparenting during pregnancy is highly inu-

enced by the couple relationship and sets the