This recent Australian study sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of FASD prevention: the health beliefs and behaviours of expectant fathers. Carter et al. (2025) explored how men’s beliefs and intentions around exercise, diet, and alcohol avoidance before conception influence their actual behaviours. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the research confirmed that expectant male partners’ intentions are shaped by their personal beliefs, social norms, and sense of control—and that these intentions predict whether they follow through on healthy behaviours.
Of particular importance for FASD prevention, the study found a clear disconnect between men’s belief in the importance of avoiding alcohol during preconception and their actual alcohol use. While many men believed that avoiding alcohol was important, most continued drinking in the months before pregnancy. This gap underscores the need for targeted, inclusive preconception messaging that speaks to men as active participants in reproductive health.
Reflection for Prevention Conversation Facilitators
As FASD Prevention Conversation Facilitators, this research offers valuable insight into how we engage with male partners in our conversations about alcohol and pregnancy. Too often, reproductive health messaging is directed solely at women, unintentionally reinforcing the idea that pregnancy, and by extension, prevention, is solely a woman’s responsibility. This study challenges that notion and affirms what many of us know from experience: when men are informed, included, and empowered, their behaviours can support healthier pregnancies and stronger families.
The finding that male beliefs and perceived control are strong predictors of intention, and that intention predicts behaviour, means we have an opportunity to influence outcomes before pregnancy even begins. It also highlights the need to explore and unpack social and cultural norms that normalize alcohol use and create barriers to change.