Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan HY(1), Wong HMR(1), Ho HL(1), Li OCA(1), Yip MY(1), Ng NC(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Introduction :
The bond between a father and newborn is vital, and a father's presence during delivery strengthens family relationships during this transition. Midwives support new fathers and increase their involvement during labour to promote a positive birthing experience. In June 2024, our department launched "The Anticipated Moment: Cut Cord by Father in Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery" to enhance fathers' involvement in childbirth, enabling parents to share this pivotal moment.
Objectives :
1. To promote positive childbirth experience and provide family-centered care in labour ward.
2. To enhance father-infant bonding and help them in their transition to fatherhood.
Methodology :
Fathers who met the inclusion criteria 1. Spontaneous vaginal delivery with accompanying labour by baby’s father 2. Normal singleton term pregnancy without any known placental, cord, fetal issue 3. Verbal consent obtained from couple who are able to read English or Chinese were offered to cut the umbilical cord of their newborn. A demonstration video and briefing were provided to the couples. Those who participated in the father-cut-cord procedure were asked to complete a 4-point Likert scale questionnaire to assess their emotional involvement, perceptions of father-infant bonding, and transformation of the father's role. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.
Result & Outcome :
Data were collected from June to October 2024, with 30 couples recruited.
Fathers reported that cutting the cord enhanced their sense of participation and accomplishment (Mean=3.73, 95% CI [3.56, 3.90]) and emotional connection with their newborns (Mean=3.73, 95% CI [3.53, 3.92]). Mothers felt that allowing fathers to cut the cord made the birth process more complete (Mean=3.76, 95% CI [3.60, 3.92]) and helped fathers establish a better emotional connection with their newborns (Mean=3.80, 95% CI [3.63, 3.95]). The mean scores for all items were above 3.5, indicating a generally positive perception of fathers' roles during childbirth. Moreover, no adverse event of cord cutting process by fathers was observed in this study.
This study highlighted the positive impact of involving fathers in the birthing process by allowing them to cut the umbilical cord. This practice enhances the childbirth experience and promotes family-centered care, fosters paternal participation, enhances father-infant bonding, and facilitates the transition to fatherhood. The result suggested that this practice should become routine to benefit more expectant parents.
