Many mothers-to-be understand how it important it is to look after their health — even before becoming pregnant. A mother’s health and lifestyle during the preconception period (the time before becoming pregnant) is not only linked with her health during pregnancy, but also how healthy the baby will be throughout their life.
But a recent viral TikTok claims a father-to-be’s health in the preconception period is just as important when it comes to both the baby’s wellbeing and the mother’s pregnancy outcomes.
In the video, the young man states that he thinks men should have to spend the nine months before trying for a baby getting into the “best physical shape of their lives”. He asserts that pre-eclampsia and morning sickness are both linked to men. He also claims that 50-60% of the baby’s epigenetic makeup comes from the father.
While there was plenty of scepticism in the video’s comment section, this is actually a rare instance where most of the influencer’s health claims are backed by scientific evidence.
Research shows us that a man’s lifestyle during the preconception period is clearly associated with the risk of negative pregnancy outcomes in their partner – as well as with the health of their children.
For instance, research has found a link between a father’s health and lifestyle during the preconception period and a woman’s risk of pre-eclampsia. This is a common and serious medical condition that can occur around midway through pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia causes high blood pressure, swelling, headaches and blurred vision.
The study found that there was a significant association between fathers who had a chronic disease during the preconception period (particularly metabolic disorders, such as obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar) and their partner’s subsequent risk of experiencing pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy.
Research has also found lower risk of birth defects in the children of men who regularly exercised prior to their conception. But fathers who smoked or were overweight during the preconception period were more likely to have children born with a birth defect. The children of fathers who smoked in the months before their conception were also found to have an increased risk of cancer.
Age also plays a role here, just as it does for mothers. Babies born to fathers who were aged 45 and older during the preconception period had a greater risk of being born prematurely or with a low birth weight.
Lifestyle and epigenetics
The concept of epigenetics is key to understanding how a man’s health during the preconception period is related to pregnancy outcomes and their child’s health.
Epigenetics means “on top of genetics.” It’s about modifications of the genome that do not change the genetic code. Epigenetic modifications are instead about how the genes are read and which genes are turned on or off – and when.
Epigenetics represents a link between genetics and environment. Various environmental and lifestyle factors, as well as diseases and even prescription drugs, can induce epigenetic changes. These changes can all lead to the function of certain genes being enhanced – and other genes being completely or partially switched off.
Although only a very small portion of the epigenetic alterations in the fetus are directly derived from the mother or the father, these can still have a significant impact on the baby’s development and their health. But it’s worth noting here that the TikTok creator’s claim that 50-60% of the baby’s epigenetic makeup comes from the father is not true.
Read more: Four ways men and women can improve their health before trying to conceive
There’s now solid evidence indicating that lifestyle-related factors (such as smoking, chronic stress and high blood sugar) and diseases (such as obesity) can lead to epigenetic alterations in sperm that affect how the placenta functions. These epigenetic alterations of placental function have subsequently been linked with pre-eclampsia risk and a child’s health and development
My own research has also shown that sperm which have a chromosome break (which is related to epigenetics) can double the risk of pre-eclampsia and low birth weight in the child. Many of the same lifestyle factors which induce the same epigenetic alterations in sperm that affect placental function have also been linked with higher likelihood of chromosome breaks occurring. Measuring chromosome breaks in sperm could provide an easy and rapid way of identifying high-risk pregnancies.
So what can we do about this?
Unfortunately, despite the clear connection between the father’s health in the preconception period with both pregnancy outcomes and their future child’s health, we lack studies that clearly demonstrate changing lifestyle or better managing chronic diseases has a positive influence on these outcomes.
Still, even if such things have not yet been demonstrated, I believe that we can agree with the TikTok’s message. Quitting smoking, reducing excessive alcohol consumption, exercising and taking control of any metabolic diseases will not only leave would-be fathers in better health for their partner and child, but also a greater chance of succeeding in getting pregnant.
Aleksander Giwercman receives funding from EU-Interreg program and from Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
