A new study published in The Lancet from UH Manoa and international partners challenges the traditional pregnancy care approach that focuses solely on maternal behaviors, highlighting the significant and often underrecognized role of fathers’ health and well-being in shaping pregnancy and child outcomes. According to the transdisciplinary review, a man’s early life experiences—including stress, physical and mental health, environment, and education—influence his health during reproductive years. These factors can, in turn, affect his partner’s health and health behaviors before and during pregnancy, as well as having direct biological effects on the developing infant.
Paternal Health Contributions
Research shows that fathers’ contributions to pregnancy and child outcomes are in some cases even larger than their maternal counterparts. Many factors traditionally believed to be solely the responsibility of the pregnant person—such as weight status, substance use, and being an older parent—are significantly influenced by paternal health. Several factors are also related intergenerationally to the fathers’ own upbringing. Lead author Jonathan Huang, assistant professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences in the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, noted that “the more we look, the more we find important contributions from fathers, including many factors traditionally believed to be solely the responsibility of the pregnant person.”
Addressing Ethical and Cultural Concerns
The researchers address ethical concerns, noting that placing all responsibility for a child’s future health on the birthing parent reinforces gender biases. Furthermore, the team emphasizes that racism and colonialism have disrupted family and community roles for many Black and brown men, creating barriers to addressing their health needs. This underscores the need for culturally grounded approaches, which are particularly effective for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander men. According to co-author Keawe’aimoku Kaholokula, chair of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander men are less likely to engage in Western-based health interventions than their female counterparts but are more responsive to culturally grounded approaches. The traditional concept of Hale Mua—a cultural space for men—offers a blueprint for improving the health of Hawaiian kane by creating safe spaces for mentorship, life instruction, emotional regulation, and the transmission of cultural values, reinforcing their kuleana (responsibility) to family and community.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2026/03/16/paternal-health-study/