Americans most often blame gender norms for leaving fathers out of maternal healthcare

Nov 14–20, 2025 · n = 1,000 · MoE ±3.2%Source report ↗

Core finding

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 14 to 20, 2025, Americans blamed gender norms for fathers being left out of maternal healthcare; 59% selected cultural and gender norms.

Other common reasons included fathers being seen as disinterested or unavailable (42%) and health systems not being designed to include fathers or partners (39%).

Selected responses

59% of Americans selected cultural and gender norms as a reason fathers are left out of maternal healthcare.

Why do you think fathers have not been included - or are often under-included - in current maternal healthcare models?

Cultural and gender norms assume caregiving is primarily the mother's role
58.8%
Fathers are perceived as disinterested or unavailable
42.3%
Health systems and pregnancy care not originally designed to included fathers/partners
38.9%
Absence of Father-inclusive models in provider education and practice
33.8%
Policy and reimbursement structures focus exclusively on mothers and babies
33.4%
Healthcare providers often lack training or resources to engage fathers
32.0%
Limited research or data on the impact of father engagement in perinatal care
28.4%
None of the above
9.1%

n = 1,000 · Nov 14–20, 2025 · MoE ±3.2%

Respondents could select more than one reason.
ModeVerasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
PopulationUS adults age 18+
Field datesNov 14–20, 2025
Base (unweighted)1,000
Margin of error±3.2%
ModuleModule 2
SponsorVerasight
Weight variableweight
Weighting targetsage, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

  1. 01

    Why do you think fathers have not been included - or are often under-included - in current maternal healthcare models?

    reports.verasight.io/r/verasight-apha-2025

Cite this question

Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2025-148, fielded November 14-20, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.