Previous studies have shown that the mother’s mental health can affect the length of pregnancy, but the new study shows that how the father feels can also affect when the child is born, writes Science Radio.
The biggest risk for an early birth is stress-related diagnoses and, according to the researchers, it is important that parents with mental illness receive support during pregnancy to reduce the risk of the child being born prematurely.
Today, five percent are born before week 37 in Sweden, which counts as an early birth.