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dc.contributorFaculty of Health and Social Sciencesen_US
dc.contributor.advisorChan, Ko-ling Edward (APSS)en_US
dc.creatorWong, Wai In-
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12852-
dc.languageEnglishen_US
dc.publisherHong Kong Polytechnic Universityen_US
dc.rightsAll rights reserveden_US
dc.titleStudy on fathers’ involvement during pregnancy and after childbirth- a qualitative studyen_US
dcterms.abstractThe influence of fathers’ involvement on pregnant women, babies, and the whole family is uncertain. This study aimed to fill these gaps by exploring various aspects of fathers’ involvement in association with promoting family-centred care during pregnancy. Previous studies of pregnancy have focused on women and their babies and a considerable number of studies have shown that the presence of fathers during pregnancy has a great impact on maternal and child development (Chung, 2021; Redshaw & Henderson, 2013). The aim of this study was to shed light on and gain an understanding of the experiences of Hong Kong fathers during the period from their partner’s pregnancy to after childbirth. A concurrent aim was to explore aspects of fathers’ involvement and the subsequent effects on the mother and child. In particular, in 2022, the coronavirus 2019 pandemic worsened in Hong Kong, and the number of confirmed cases increased sharply during the fifth wave of the outbreak. Most pregnant women and their families have worried about being infected with the coronavirus (Mortazavi et al., 2021), and this has affected their day-to-day lives. In view of this phenomenon and its significant implications, the grounded theory was used to determine the effect of a father’s involvement in pregnancy and childbirth. A sample of pregnant women and their partners who were attending an antenatal clinic together were invited to express their feelings during an interview. The “family­-centred care” model in pregnancy was conceptualised using constant comparisons and memoing. The family-centred care model in pregnancy is a model describing the connections between all family members and their effects. During pregnancy and after childbirth, fathers learnt a lot, matured with the environmental changes, and gained more confidence than they had before the pregnancy. It was found that when women became pregnant, all family members became involved in the process, with the main aim of generating a better outcome for the children. Fathers’ involvement during pregnancy and after childbirth may enhance men’s health and family well­-being. Men showed improvements in psychological aspects and their sense of belonging during this period. Their experiences throughout pregnancy helped enhance their health literacy and health consciousness. After delivery, fathers spent most of their time with their families, which strengthened paternal bonding with their babies. In this study, fathers were found to successfully express their love for their families. The implications of the findings of this study to the nursing field are also discussed. The findings also emphasize the father’s role in the family. Thus, nursing staff should be aware of the importance of fathers participating in pregnancy and after childbirth, and should make an effort to use a family-centred model when approaching their clients. It is recommended that future studies by healthcare professionals in the field of obstetrics should focus on the involvement of fathers during pregnancy and after childbirth.en_US
dcterms.extentxvii, 314 pages : color illustrationsen_US
dcterms.isPartOfPolyU Electronic Thesesen_US
dcterms.issued2023en_US
dcterms.educationalLevelDHScen_US
dcterms.educationalLevelAll Doctorateen_US
dcterms.LCSHHusband and wife -- China -- Hong Kongen_US
dcterms.LCSHPregnancy -- Psychological aspectsen_US
dcterms.LCSHChildbirth -- Psychological aspectsen_US
dcterms.LCSHFathers -- China -- Hong Kongen_US
dcterms.LCSHHong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertationsen_US
dcterms.accessRightsrestricted accessen_US

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12852