Obstetrics
Nervous fathers can be a 'pain' during childbirth
By IANS
Jan 26, 2006 - 4:35:00 PM

Anxious men pass on their fears to mothers giving birth by Caesarean section, says a study that suggests that early preparation can help reassure both partners about the procedure.

Researchers from University of Bath and Imperial College London studied 65 women scheduled for an elective Caesarean at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital here and found that anxious men passed on their fears to mothers, the online edition of Daily Mail reported.

This increased the pain women experienced after the operation, which in turn could affect their immediate recovery and factors such as breastfeeding and parent-child bonding, it said.

The researchers questioned the women during their regular antenatal check-ups.

The women and their birth partners were questioned before, during and after the delivery about their fears, expectations and experiences.

The women were also assessed for their pain levels at different stages of the procedure and immediately afterwards.

The study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggested fathers should be prepared for the Caesarean, both at antenatal classes and before the operation, to help reassure them.

This could then help reduce the pain experienced by the mother and improve the birth experience - for both the mother and father.

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