Women who give birth without the presence and support of their male partners are more likely to experience poor birth outcomes, a new study says.
Daniel Kruger, from the University of Michigan and team found women lacking the support of their partners after conceiving at higher risks of giving birth before completing their gestational age and having babies with low birth weight.
Babies born before 37 weeks of gestational age are considered to be premature babies. Preterm birth is the leading cause of newborn deaths and the second leading cause of death among children aged below five in the world. In the country, more than half a million babies are born prematurely. A preterm birth can bring in many health problems for the child, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, breathing or respiratory problems, feeding or digestive problems and vision or hearing loss.
Average birth weight of a full-term newborn in the United States is 7.5 pounds (3,400 grams) and low birth weight is 5.5 pounds (2,500 grams). One in every 12 babies in U.S. is born with a low birth weight and it is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality before 28 days of age in the country.
When women fail to receive the support of men in their pregnancy, it leaves a negative impact on their subconscious mind, further affecting their pregnancy and birth, Kruger, while explaining the mechanism behind the occurrence, said.
"I don't think any woman is consciously thinking, 'I should have a premature baby,'" Kruger, said in a news release. "It is likely a nonconscious system regulated by hormones, etc., that is influenced by both conscious and nonconscious processes."
For the study, the researchers looked at the birth records information from 2000 from 450 counties, provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Concerned with the findings, the researchers urged men to provide more support to their women during pregnancy and birth.
"If possible, we should increase men's involvement and support during pregnancy and reinforce the expectation that he will be around to help raise the child," he said. "This does not just have to be financial support. It can be spending time with the child, taking care of him/her, teaching him/her skills, etc."
The study has been published in the American Journal of Human Biology.
The findings come to a U.S. background where 41 percent of mothers are unwed or single.
