Effect of fathers in Preemie Prep for Parents (P3) program on couple's preterm birth preparedness.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effect of fathers' participation in the Preemie Prep for Parents (P3) program on maternal learning and fathers' preterm birth knowledge. METHODS: Mothers with preterm birth predisposing medical condition(s) enrolled with or without the baby's father and were randomized to the P3 intervention (text-messages linking to animated videos) or control (patient education webpages). Parent Prematurity Knowledge Questionnaire assessed knowledge, including unmarried fathers' legal neonatal decision-making ability. RESULTS: 104 mothers reported living with the baby's father; 50 participated with the father and 54 participated alone. In the P3 group, mothers participating with the father (n = 33) had greater knowledge than mothers participating alone (n = 21), 85 % correct responses vs. 76 %, p = 0.033. However, there was no difference in knowledge among the control mothers, 67 % vs. 60 %, p = 0.068. P3 fathers (n = 33) knowledge scores were not different than control fathers (n = 17), 77 % vs. 68 %, p= 0.054. Parents who viewed the video on fathers' rights (n = 58) were more likely than those who did not (n = 96) to know unmarried fathers' legal inability to decide neonatal treatments, 84 % vs. 41 %, p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Among opposite-sex cohabitating couples, fathers' participation in the P3 program enhanced maternal learning. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The P3 program's potential to educate fathers may benefit high-risk pregnancies. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04093492, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04093492.

Duke Scholars

Author Kathryn Eve Flynn Population Health Sciences