The Role of Father Involvement and Intimate Partner Violence on Postnatal Depression Among Women With Unintended Pregnancy

Abstract

This study set out to fill the research gap by including various aspects of father involvement and intimate partner violence (IPV) in the examination of the association between unintended pregnancy and maternal postnatal depression (PND). This study aimed to examine the effect of father involvement and IPV on the association between unintended pregnancy and PND. A sample of 1,083 pregnant women who attended antenatal clinic at selected hospitals in Hong Kong completed two surveys to report on their pregnancy intention, antenatal depression, PND, IPV during pregnancy, their partner’s (i.e., father’s) involvement during pregnancy and after childbirth, and perceived social support. Comparisons were made between women with unintended pregnancy and those with intended pregnancy, and the effects of unintended pregnancy, father involvement, IPV, and other factors on maternal PND were examined. Results show that women with unintended pregnancy were more likely to report PND, IPV, fear, postnatal stress, lower degree of father involvement, and lower level of social support. Unintended pregnancy independently increased the risk of PND by 1.95 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.15, 3.28]), after adjustment for all other variables. When father involvement was included in the regression model, the negative effects of IPV and the related fear on PND became nonsignificant. The positive association between unintended pregnancy and PND was robust. Father involvement might help promote maternal health by reducing the negative effects of IPV on PND.