Who’s the bloke in the room? Fathers during pregnancy and at the birth in the UK (Fatherhood Institution)

This report, published by the Fatherhood Institute and funded by the Nuffield Foundation, details how expectant fathers in Britain are key influencers on maternal and infant health and wellbeing, including on pregnant women’s smoking, diet, physical activity and mental health, and on children’s later adjustment. The report recommends a more family-centred service that enrols expectant fathers in maternity services from ‘booking in’, records and responds to their health needs and behaviours, and which trains maternity staff to engage with them. The Fatherhood Institute calls on the NHS to include expectant and new fathers at all stages and inform them as thoroughly as it currently informs pregnant women and new mothers. The full report and an executive summary, are available along with other reports in the series, Contemporary Fathers in the UK: our review of research on British dads.