Partner Support in Pregnancy: Can Prenatal and Postpartum Couples Therapy Reduce Postpartum Pathology and Strengthen Mother-Offspring Attachment?

Research indicates that prenatal stress, negative birth experiences, and postpartum pathologies can have significant effects on the mother, the offspring, the partner, and the mother-partner relationship. Partner support and perceptions of partner support throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience can help reduce stress, help mothers feel in control of their birth experience, reduce postpartum pathologies, strengthen the mother-partner relationship, and therefore strengthen the bond between parents and offspring. In this paper interventions for working with couples in the prenatal and postpartum stages in order to reduce stress and strengthen the partnership are discussed.