Father's involvement reduces infant mortality

Washington, June 18 : Father's involvement during pregnancy may play an important role in preventing infant mortality, says a study.

"Our study suggests that lack of paternal involvement during pregnancy is an important and potentially modifiable risk factor for infant mortality," concluded the study's lead author Amina Alio, research assistant professor of community and family health at the University of South Florida (USF).

"A significant proportion of infant deaths could be prevented if fathers were to become more involved," added Alio.

The researchers examined the records of more than 1.39 million live births in Florida from 1998 to 2005.

Father involvement was defined by the presence of the father's name on the infant's birth certificate.

While this measure does not assess the extent or quality of a father's involvement during pregnancy, other studies have established a link between paternal information on a birth record and prenatal paternal involvement.

Among the findings were that infants with absent fathers were more likely to be born with lower birth weights, to be premature and small for gestational age, said an USF release.

Regardless of race or ethnicity, the mortality rate of infants whose fathers are absent was nearly four times that of their counterparts with involved fathers.