Fathers’ experiences of witnessing a traumatic birth : critical literature review

Abstract

This critical literature review aimed to explore and critically synthesis the current evidence on fathers’ experiences of witnessing a traumatic birth. While traumatic birth is an increasingly recognised area of research in maternity care, existing literature has predominantly focused on maternal physical and psychological outcomes. This review addressed this notable knowledge gap by synthesising the findings related to how fathers navigate their experiences when witnessing births, they perceive as traumatic. A systemic literature search was conducted using relevant databases including Scopus, CINAL Complete, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and PsycINFO to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2026 in English. The PEO (Population, Exposure and Outcomes) framework was used to search the literature using relevant keywords. The inclusion criteria focused on studies involving fathers who physically witnessed the birth of their child, which they perceived as traumatic, using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods design. Five studies met the inclusion criteria and were assessed for their methodological rigour using the CASP critical appraisal tools. Collectively, the three themes that emerged from the literature highlight that fathers’ experiences are characterised by a sense of exclusion and loss of control, compounded by witnessing distressing clinical events, while simultaneously negotiating internal conflict driven by traditional ideals of masculinity and their perceived paternal role. The review findings highlight the need for clinical practice to evolve beyond a focus on medical outcomes to formally recognise and support the father’s unique psychological burden as a witness of the birth perceived as traumatic. Future research should focus on how cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors shape fathers’ experiences of birth trauma, as existing literature is largely limited to Western, middle- to high-income populations.