VNR: Fathers' health crucial for pregnancy and child outcomes

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Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/DvH

Challenging the traditional approach to pregnancy care which focuses solely on mother's behaviors, new research from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and international partners highlights the significant and often underrecognized role of fathers' health and well-being in shaping pregnancy and child outcomes. The study was recently published in The Lancet.

"The more we look, the more we find important contributions from fathers, including many factors traditionally believed to be solely the responsibility of the pregnant person, such as weight status, substance use or being an older parent," said Jonathan Huang, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences in the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health. "In some cases, paternal contributions are even larger than their maternal counterparts and several are related intergenerationally to the fathers' own upbringing."

A framework for preconception health

This transdisciplinary review uses evidence from biological, behavioral and social sciences to create a framework for men's role in preconception health. The findings show that a man's early life experiences-including stress, physical and mental health, environment, and education-influence his health during reproductive years. These factors can, in turn, affect his partner's health and health behaviors (such as prenatal care) before and during pregnancy, as well as having direct biological effects on the developing infant.

The research addresses ethical concerns, noting that placing all responsibility for a child's future health on the birthing parent reinforces gender biases. Furthermore, the researchers emphasize that racism and colonialism have disrupted family and community roles for many Black and brown men, creating barriers to addressing their health needs. This disruption underscores the need for culturally grounded approaches, which are particularly effective for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander men.

"Policies and programs are needed to strengthen family and community bonds while centering the health and well-being of kāne [men] within their cultural roles. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander men are less likely to engage in Western-based health interventions than their female counterparts, but are more responsive to culturally grounded approaches," said Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula, co-author and chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health, in the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Improving the health of Hawaiian kāne

Kaholokula stated that the traditional concept of Hale Mua--a cultural space for men--offers a blueprint for improving the health of Hawaiian kāne by creating safe spaces for mentorship, life instruction, emotional regulation and the transmission of cultural values, which reinforces their kuleana (responsibility) to family and community.

The researchers emphasize that policymakers, public health agencies, clinicians, researchers and men themselves all have a role in improving preconception health. Investing in the wellbeing of boys and young men is key to reducing health disparities and improving outcomes for future generations.

Huang added, "Raising awareness about the importance of men's health does not diminish the critical importance of women and pregnant persons' well-being. Rather it serves as a collective call-in to ensure that men and partners are equipped to be supportive partners, allies and caretakers before, during, and long after pregnancy."

The research team includes collaborators from the continental U.S., the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Singapore. A companion study highlights the work of the international Core Indicators for Preconception Health and Equity (iCIPHE) Alliance in improving how preconception health is measured and monitored.

Link to video and sound (details below): https://go.hawaii.edu/DvH

B-ROLL: (1:25)
-Family spending time together

Soundbites:

Jonathan Huang, lead author and UH Public Health Assistant Professor

(:09)
"The main takeaway from this is that men have a large role to play in this as well, and it's much broader than I think that we have given credit to before."

(:15)
"As we research more on the biological aspects of it, whether it is physical health, or diet or other behaviors, we realized that the contributions of, of men are, are actually quite substantial."

Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula, co-author and John A. Burns School of Medicine Professor

(:21)
"Men do want cultural based, culturally grounded approaches to health and wellbeing. It resonates well with them. So we really need to shift our thinking and look outside the box and go back to things that were part and parcel of daily life in our traditional society, might be things to bring back in some form of practice and values."