The effects of prenatal programs on postpartum emotional well-being

Several statistical studies of married couples have observed a decline in the marital relationship following the birth of the first child. The present study compared the effects of an experimental prenatal education program (based on communication skills and relaxation skill training) with effects of the traditional prenatal program on scores on the Affect-Balance Scale. The couples in the experimental group (n = 63) fared better (ANOVA, p = .03) than couples in the traditional program (n = 53).