Research has shown that various factors, including men’s smoking, drinking, weight, eating habits, and mental health, can affect children from the pre-conception stage. Photo = Getty Image Bank
In general, the most emphasized aspect when preparing for pregnancy is a woman’s lifestyle habits. Creating a healthy environment, such as quitting drinking, smoking, and managing diet, has long been considered a woman’s responsibility. However, recently, it has been receiving increasing attention that a man’s health and lifestyle before pregnancy can also affect the development and long-term health of his child.
According to an analysis recently published in the international academic journal The Lancet, it was found that various factors such as men’s smoking, drinking, weight, eating habits, and mental health can affect their children from the pre-conception stage. These results were published under the title ‘More equitable preconception health: paternal life course opportunities for better pregnancy, child, and family outcomes.’
In particular, the father’s drinking before pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of congenital abnormalities, and smoking and some lifestyle factors were analyzed to have the potential to affect fetal development by changing the characteristics of sperm.
“Despite the fact that men play an important role in the health of future generations, men’s health before pregnancy has not received enough attention in research and policy,” the researchers said. “We need to understand more about how men’s lifestyle habits and overall health affect their fertility.”
In addition, the researchers also emphasized the role of men during pregnancy. Research has shown that a spouse’s participation and support during pregnancy can also affect the pregnancy process. The more a spouse provided emotional support and was present during pregnancy, the more likely the pregnant woman was to receive prenatal care and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They also tended to have lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Dr. Jonathan Hwang of the University of Hawaii, who led the study, emphasized that awareness of men’s roles needs to be further expanded. “There is a need to include men in pre-conception health care guidelines,” he said. “This can help create healthier relationships and nurturing environments.”
Meanwhile, this study also mentioned previous research results showing that men’s sperm count has decreased by more than half worldwide in recent decades. However, the researchers emphasized that not only sperm count but also sperm quality is an important factor.
Sperm quality can be affected by a variety of factors, including diet, obesity, physical activity, environmental exposure, and stress, and these factors can affect not only fertility but also the health of the child.
Additionally, men’s mental health was also found to be unrelated to the well-being of the entire family. It has been reported that children of men who have experienced depression tend to be more likely to experience depression.
The researchers pointed out that there are limitations in viewing child health as solely a woman’s responsibility. This approach may place excessive responsibility for the child’s health on the mother.
Accordingly, the researchers emphasized that men need to take care of their health long before they become fathers. The explanation is that efforts are needed to expand pre-pregnancy health education for men, increase access to medical care, and address mental health and social inequality.
The researchers said, “Most men do not receive sufficient health care or education before pregnancy, but the need is growing. Factors that can have a negative impact on reproductive health, such as obesity, smoking, mental illness, and drugs, are common at a young age, so early management is necessary.” He added, “Efforts to improve health from an early age can ultimately have a positive impact on the pregnancy process, the child’s development, and even the health of the family across generations.”
[자주 묻는 질문]
Q1. Does a father’s drinking and smoking before pregnancy really affect the child?
A. Studies have shown that drinking before pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of congenital abnormalities, and that smoking and some lifestyle habits change the characteristics of sperm, potentially affecting fetal development.
Q2. Is the father’s role important not only before pregnancy but also during pregnancy?
A: Yes. It has been confirmed that the more a spouse participates in prenatal care and provides emotional support, the more pregnant women tend to maintain a healthy lifestyle and have lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Q3. Is low sperm count the problem, or are other factors more important?
A. A decrease in sperm count is an important issue, but researchers emphasize that it is more important to look at the ‘state’ of sperm and the lifestyle and environmental factors that influence it rather than the ‘number’ of sperm.
Reporter Ji Hae-mi (pcraemi@kormedi.com)