Father involvement during pregnancy is important

Children in homes without fathers are roughly five times more likely to be poor and are twice as likely to drop out of school. Conversely, children with positive father involvement have fewer behavior problems and higher levels of sociability, and perform better in school.

While you may not want the father of your daughter's child to be around, recent research suggests that father involvement during pregnancy affects multiple areas of child and family well-being, from prenatal care initiation and mother and child health outcomes, to the likelihood that the father will provide ongoing financial and emotional support (Source: Report titled "The First Nine Months of Fatherhood").

• Women with involved partners are 40% more likely to receive prenatal care in their first trimester than were those without an involved partner.
• Pregnant smokers with involved partners reduced their cigarette consumption 36% more than those whose partners were not involved.
• Fathers who were involved during the pregnancy were more likely to establish paternity at the hospital and to continue to provide emotional and economic support to their child.
• Couples with positive prenatal father involvement were more likely to be together three years after the child’s birth.
• Expectant fathers can be influential advocates for breastfeeding, playing a critical role in encouraging a mother to breastfeed the couple’s newborn infant.
• Involving the father during the pregnancy increases his understanding of his child and the mother, which may help prevent violence.

So unless the baby's father is physically dangerous, talk about whether he could be involved with your daughter's pregnancy in the following ways:

1. Can he attend a doctor visit with your daughter
2. Can he be present during an ultrasound of their child
3. Can he listen to their child's heartbeat
4. Can he spend time talking to their child in the womb
5. Can he discuss the progress of pregnancy with your daughter
6. Can he buy things their child will need shortly after birth

You may find it helpful to read the chapters “Where does the baby's father belong in all this?” and "The importance of a father" in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy“.

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