PROSPECTIVE FATHERS’ ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, PREGNANCY‐RELATED ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION DURING PREGNANCY

ABSTRACT There is a growing knowledge of the predictors of depressive or anxious feelings during pregnancy among prospective fathers, and the present study investigates how paternal adverse childhood experiences relate to anxious and depressive feelings during pregnancy. Participants were recruited to “The Little in Norway Study (LIN‐study)” (2010) at different well‐baby clinics in Norway; 976 fathers consented to participate in the study, of which 881 had valid data for adverse childhood experiences. The study reports on the relationship between the Adverse Childhood Experience Scale (ACE Scale; R.F. Anda, A. Butchart, V.J. Felitti, & D.W. Brown, 2010) and depressive feelings, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; M. Eberhard‐Gran & K. Slinning, 2007), and pregnancy‐related anxiety, using the Pregancy‐Related Anxiety Scale‐Revised (PRAQ‐R; A.C. Huizink, E.J. Mulder, D.M.P.G. Robles, & G.H. Visser, 2004). Data collection was comprised of five time points during pregnancy: Time 1 (T1; Weeks 8–34) and four follow‐up time points; Time 2 (T2: Weeks 20–25), Time 3 (T3: Weeks 26–31), Time 4 (T4: Weeks 32–34), and Time 5 (T5: Week 36). Fathers’ with higher ACE scores reported more pregnancy‐related anxiety than did fathers with lower scores at all time points in pregnancy, except at T5 (36 weeks), while also reporting more depressive feelings during pregnancy. Health providers and community centers should pay more attention to fathers’ mental health during pregnancy, as the whole family system needs to be considered during pregnancy to provide optimal healthcare. Adverse childhood experiences among fathers‐to‐be may increase depressive and anxious feelings during pregnancy. RESUMEN El conocimiento de factores de predicción de sentimientos de depresión y ansiedad durante el embarazo entre potenciales papás ha crecido y el presente estudio investiga cómo las experiencias adversas de la niñez (ACE) se relacionan con sentimientos de depresión y ansiedad durante el embarazo. Los participantes fueron reclutados para el estudio “Pequeño en Noruega” en diferentes clínicas del saludable bebé en Noruega, con 976 papás que consintieron en participar en el estudio, de los cuales 881 tenía información válida con respecto a ACE. El estudio reporta sobre la relación entre la Escala de Experiencias Adversas en la Niñez (escala ACE) y sentimientos depresivos, usando la Escala Edinburgh de Depresión Postnatal (EPDS), así como la ansiedad relacionada con el embarazo