How do male partners experience the pre- and postpartum period depending on maternal anorexia nervosa? Findings from a qualitative interview study.

PURPOSE: The transition to fatherhood constitutes a substantial life event that can profoundly impact individuals and their relationships. This influence may be amplified when an anorexia nervosa (AN) is present within the family. This study aimed to examine paternal experiences during the pre- and postpartum period and assess how maternal AN influences these experiences.

METHODS

Six semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with three male partners of women with and without AN, to explore their prepartum perspectives on the paternal role, their postpartum eating behaviors, overall well-being, and the impact of the AN on their relationship. The data was analyzed in accordance with the principles of qualitative content analysis as proposed by Mayring.

RESULTS

The analysis yielded six main categories that were deductively identified from the interview guide, with several sub-categories generated from the interview data. Many topics were raised by both groups and are in support of previous research. Group-specific aspects also emerged, such as a lower level of reflection on fatherhood among partners of women with AN. All partners of women with AN noted that the disorder affected the relationship, for example by causing conflicts.

CONCLUSION

The partly distinct experiences reported by the two groups highlight the impact of maternal AN on family dynamics and emphasize the need to incorporate paternal perspectives in eating disorder research during the transition to parenthood. Integrating fathers' experiences can enhance understanding of familial dynamics and inform the development of targeted interventions to support all family members during this critical period.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.