Interpersonal Relationships Among Black Couples and Depressive Symptoms During Pregnancy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine associations of the mother-father relationship and social support with depressive symptoms during pregnancy among Black mothers and fathers.

Methods: Fifty Black mother-father dyads from the Midwest completed a packet of questionnaires that included conflict with partner, social support, depressive symptoms, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: Twenty-four percent of mothers and 16% of fathers had Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scores ≥23, which have been correlated with a major depression diagnosis.

Partner support in a cohort of African American families and its influence on pregnancy outcomes and prenatal health behaviors.

Background: We examined how two indicators of partner involvement, relationship type and paternal support, influenced the risk of pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth, low birth weight) and health behaviors (prenatal care, drug use, and smoking) among African American women.

Methods: Interview and medical record data were obtained from a study of 713 adult African American women delivering singletons between March 2001 and July 2004. Women were enrolled prenatally if they received care at one of three Johns Hopkins Medical Institution (JHMI) prenatal clinics or post-partum if they delivered at JHMI with late, no or intermittent prenatal care.