IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 522 

Recognizing the role of father engagement in improving overall health outcomes during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, for both the mother 

and baby. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 16, 2023 

Mr. VEASEY (for himself, Mr. ALLRED, Mr. CORREA, Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. 

JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 

THANEDAR, Ms. NORTON, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. CARSON, Mr. BOWMAN, 

Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. BROWN, 

and Mr. CLEAVER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the role of father engagement in improving overall health outcomes during pregnancy, birth, and 

postpartum, for both the mother and baby. 

Whereas a father is a supporting partner in a child’s development as well as during the preconception, pregnancy, 

birth, and postpartum periods; 

Whereas we recognize the importance of supporting families 

regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity of either the supporting partner or birthing partner is key; 

Whereas increased father engagement can play an important 

role in— 


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(1) improving maternal health and maternal mental 

health care; and 

(2) addressing maternal and infant mortality and 

morbidity in the United States and globally; 

Whereas racial disparities in maternal and infant health in 

the United States have persisted for decades despite continued advancements in health care; 

Whereas the maternal mortality rate in the United States has 

for many years exceeded that of other high-income countries and continues to disproportionally affect minority 

women; 

Whereas these disparities have lasting impacts on the lives of 

the fathers and children; 

Whereas research has found that supporting families holistically, actively including and engaging fathers in all aspects of maternal health care, from preconception 

through pregnancy and the first year postpartum can 

positively impact short- and long-term health outcomes, 

improving— 

(1) pregnancy and postpartum health—when fathers 

are involved and engaged, mothers are— 

(A) more likely to receive early and regular prenatal care; 

(B) at reduced risk of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD); 

(C) less likely to smoke, drink, or use drugs; 

(D) more likely to eat well and take recommended vitamin/mineral supplements; 

(E) more likely to follow physician’s recommendations; less likely to experience complications during pregnancy and labor; and 


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(F) more likely to have a healthy, safe birth, 

and more likely to succeed at breastfeeding; 

(2) a baby’s health at birth including— 

(A) a healthy birth weight; 

(B) lowered risk of a birth defect; 

(C) lowered risk of extended NICU care; and 

(D) lowered risk of short- and long-term disability; and 

(3) a child’s short- and long-term health and wellbeing including— 

(A) improving social, emotional, and cognitive 

development; 

(B) improving outcomes in school; 

(C) reducing rates of teen pregnancies; 

(D) reducing risk of substance use; and 

(E) improving future executive function and 

self-regulation; 

Whereas a father’s support during pregnancy can help promote cessation of smoking, drinking, and drug use in the 

mother, all of which can lead to low birth weight, preterm 

birth, birth defects, and an increased risk of sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs); 

Whereas father involvement during pregnancy has been 

linked with a 36-percent reduction in smoking in a mother; 

Whereas a father’s participation during prenatal care appointments provides the mother with additional support 

to recognize potential pregnancy-related complications 

that could lead to maternal morbidity and mortality, and 

complications could include— 

(1) preeclampsia; 

(2) peripartum cardiomyopathy; 


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(3) preterm labor; 

(4) perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD); 

(5) pregnancy loss or miscarriage; 

(6) stillbirth; 

(7) high blood pressure; 

(8) cervical infections; 

(9) gestational diabetes; 

(10) placental abruption; 

(11) ectopic pregnancy; and 

(12) uterine rupture; 

Whereas 1 in 5 women experience a PMAD, with suicide 

being the leading cause of preventable maternal deaths, 

and the added support of father engagement can help to 

reduce the risk of a PMAD; 

Whereas evidence shows that when fathers are involved during pregnancy appointments and milestones, mothers are 

1.5 times more likely to receive prenatal care in the first 

trimester, which improves health and outcome for both 

the mother and baby; 

Whereas methods to empower fathers as advocates for both 

mother and baby include— 

(1) addressing cultural beliefs about fatherhood and 

men’s role in maternal health and families, especially 

those that discourage father participation; 

(2) addressing discrimination many fathers face related to their culture and racial identities; 

(3) addressing racism and bias in the health care 

system and inequities in health care access; 

(4) addressing structural and systemic barriers that 

prevent fathers of color from being active in the health 

outcomes of mothers and children; 


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(5) peer-to-peer, father-to-father encouragement, 

support, and education in communities that traditionally 

aren’t inclusive of fathers; 

(6) involving fathers in prenatal and postpartum 

care; 

(7) providing fathers with information about what to 

expect before, during, and after birth and how they can 

better understand and support their partner, as well as 

to help them bond together as a parenting team; and 

(8) educating and engaging fathers in conversations 

and guidance about mental health, breastfeeding practices, health care appointments, safe sleep, skin-to-skin 

child bonding, and early childhood development; 

Whereas increasing outreach for fathers to join group prenatal care models and attending prenatal and postnatal 

appointments can help in preparing both parents and creates opportunities for parents to view pregnancy and parenting as a team effort; 

Whereas publicly available pregnancy and birth education 

help fathers access accurate and up-to-date information 

about childbirth and properly support pregnant people as 

birth partners; 

Whereas a father’s skin-to-skin contact just after birth and 

in the months following birth has been shown to support 

and improve the health and development of a newborn, 

improve a father’s mental health, and foster father-child 

bonding in the short and long term; 

Whereas fathers are biologically hard-wired to be nurturers, 

and experience a decline in testosterone and a surge in 

estrogen throughout the prenatal and postpartum periods; 


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Whereas studies show that engaging fathers in conversations 

about safe sleep guidelines can help increase safe sleep 

and reduce infant deaths; 

Whereas providing fathers with guidance about infant crying 

and the risks of shaken baby syndrome can reduce infant 

deaths; 

Whereas a father’s active support of breastfeeding greatly increases the chances of successful breastfeeding, which improves the physical and mental health of babies and 

mothers, and reduces the risk of SUIDs; 

Whereas removing barriers to father engagement can encourage greater involvement during pregnancy, delivery, and 

parenthood such as— 

(1) removing obstacles related to employment and 

loss of income, such as lack of paid family leave; 

(2) offering moderated father support groups and 

classes; 

(3) changing messaging about societal perceptions 

about fathers’ roles in pregnancy and parenting; and 

(4) health care providers offering prenatal appointments outside of regular work hours, through telehealth 

or through take-home, father-focused resources; 

Whereas intimate partner violence (IPV) is a leading cause 

of maternal death and fathers who are engaged in their 

partner’s care and are invested in their baby’s health and 

development are less likely to engage in IPV, and later, 

in child abuse; 

Whereas 54 percent of pregnancy-associated suicide deaths 

involve IPV; 

Whereas supporting paid paternal leave will guarantee both 

mothers and fathers time to bond with their baby during 


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the critical first months and a foundation for a stronger 

father-child relationship and a healthier, more successful 

life for a child; and 

Whereas fathers who report close, nonviolent connections with 

their children have fewer mental and physical health 

problems, are less likely to abuse drugs, and are more 

likely to be involved in their neighborhoods and community: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the important role of fathers in 

3 increasing positive maternal outcomes; 

4 (2) acknowledges the need to address structural 

5 and systemic barriers that prevent fathers from 

6 being fully engaged with the health of mothers and 

7 children; and 

8 (3) acknowledges that father engagement ef9 forts provide continuous physical and emotional sup10 port, which can contribute to healthier pregnancies, 

11 safer deliveries, healthier babies, and successful 

12 postpartum recoveries. 

Æ 


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