SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Father engagement can play an important 
role in improving maternal health care, addressing 
maternal mortality and morbidity, and bettering the 
development and long-term growth of the child. 
(2) The participation of fathers during prenatal 
care appointments provides the mother with addi-
tional support to recognize potential pregnancy-re-
lated complications that could lead to maternal mor-
tality and morbidity. 
(3) When fathers are involved during pregnancy 
appointments and milestones, mothers are 1.5 times 
more likely to receive prenatal care in the first tri-
mester, which improves health outcomes for both the 
mother and baby. 
(4) Father support during pregnancy can help 
promote behavioral health of the mother. 
(5) Father engagement reduces the risks of 
postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and contrib-
utes to a lower likelihood of preterm birth and a 
healthier birthweight. 
(6) Including fathers in conversations about 
safe sleep guidelines and sharing guidance about in-
fant crying and the risks of shaken baby syndrome 
can help reduce infant deaths. 
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(7) Active support of the father during 
breastfeeding greatly increases the chances of suc-
cessful breastfeeding, which improves the physical 
and mental health of the baby and the mother. 
(8) Physical contact between the father and the 
baby just after birth and in the months following 
birth has been shown to improve the health and de-
velopment of the baby, improve the mental health of 
the father, and foster father-child bonding in the 
short-term and long-term. 
SEC. 3. INCREASING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF 
FATHER INCLUSION AND ENGAGEMENT IN 
THE PREGNANCY, BIRTH, AND POSTPARTUM 
PROCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall carry out a public awareness cam-
paign to increase understanding of the importance of fa-
ther inclusion and engagement in improving overall health 
outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, 
for both the mother and baby. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The campaign under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
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(1) messaging intended to provide information 
to the public about the importance of a father’s role 
in pregnancy and parenting; 
(2) resources and information to counter pop-
ular narratives that minimize the importance of en-
gaged and involved fathers in pregnancy and par-
enting; and 
(3) resources and information that promote 
awareness about the impact of father inclusion on 
maternal and infant outcomes, including— 
(A) the importance of father-to-infant, 
skin-to-skin contact in improving the health and 
development of a newborn and fostering father- 
child bonding in the short- and long-term; 
(B) the role of fathers in promoting the 
behavioral health of the mother; 
(C) the role of fathers in increasing the 
number of prenatal and postpartum appoint-
ments a mother attends; 
(D) the effects of father attendance during 
prenatal and postnatal appointments; 
(E) the effects of paternal postpartum de-
pression; 
(F) the role of father support in improving 
rates of successful breastfeeding; and 
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(G) the role of father involvement in pro-
viding the mother with additional support to 
recognize potential pregnancy-related complica-
tions, which could include— 
(i) preeclampsia; 
(ii) peripartum cardiomyopathy; 
(iii) preterm labor; 
(iv) perinatal mood and anxiety dis-
orders; 
(v) pregnancy loss or miscarriage; 
(vi) stillbirth; 
(vii) high blood pressure; 
(viii) cervical infections; 
(ix) gestational diabetes; 
(x) placental abruption; 
(xi) ectopic pregnancy; and 
(xii) uterine rupture. 
SEC. 4. GUIDANCE TO STATES ON ENCOURAGING FATHER 
INCLUSION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE PREG-
NANCY, BIRTH, AND POSTPARTUM PROCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall issue guidance to States that ad-
dresses how States can encourage and incentivize pro-
viders of maternity care, including hospitals, health care 
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systems, midwifery practices, freestanding birth centers, 
community health centers, and other maternity care pro-
viders, and providers of health care coverage, including 
managed care entities, to provide training and education 
to health care practitioners, such as pediatricians, obste-
tricians, and gynecologists, about the benefits of including 
and engaging fathers in the pregnancy, birth, and 
postpartum process. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The guidance under sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) include information on how health care 
practitioners can— 
(A) offer peer-to-peer, father-to-father en-
couragement, support, and education in commu-
nities that traditionally are not inclusive of fa-
thers; 
(B) provide fathers with information on— 
(i) what to expect before, during, and 
after the birth process; 
(ii) how to better— 
(I) understand and support their 
partner throughout such process; and 
(II) serve as an advocate in her 
care; and 
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(iii) recommendations and protocol re-
lating to pregnancy, postpartum, and child 
care, including— 
(I) maternal, infant, and routine 
childhood vaccines; 
(II) maternal warning signs; 
(III) the importance of fetal 
movement counting; 
(IV) maternal mental health and 
postpartum recovery; 
(V) breastfeeding practices; 
(VI) health care appointments; 
(VII) safe sleep practices; 
(VIII) skin-to-skin contact; 
(IX) baby care, including safe 
soothing of a crying baby; 
(X) child bonding; and 
(XI) early childhood development; 
and 
(C) screen fathers for depression and pro-
vide referrals for treatment that may positively 
impact child development and reduce the risk of 
adverse childhood experiences; 
(2) address cultural beliefs about fatherhood, a 
man’s role in maternal health, and families; and 
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(3) reaffirm a father’s ability to play a positive 
and valuable role during pregnancy, birth, and early 
childhood development, regardless of race or eth-
nicity. 
SEC. 5. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 
Not later than 6 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct, and submit to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives, a report describing the results of, a study 
on the effectiveness of this Act. 
Æ 
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