Despite growing interest into perinatal experiences, partners’ needs are overlooked in research, services, and policy. Both papers contribute novel insights into non-birthing parents’ experiences of birth trauma and tokophobia, inclusive of fathers and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ non-birthing parents. This holds the potential to inform support within perinatal services, which is timely given the recent expansion of Maternal Mental Health Services in England which currently does not offer support to partners. The two papers emphasise socio-cultural and political contexts as pivotal to de-pathologising individual ‘difficulties’, instead viewing them as measured responses to multi-layered situations, without disregarding the need for professional support where appropriate.

Part A presents a qualitative empirical study, which explored experiences of psychologically traumatic birth in non-carrying mothers in same-gender relationships, and how they made sense out of this experience. Semi-structured interviews with eight Black lesbian first-time mothers were conducted and analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Four themes were developed: ‘anticipated and realised threats’, ‘navigating identities and roles in the transition to motherhood’, ‘importance of feeling understood and accepted by others’ and ‘adapting to a new normal’.

Part B presents a qualitative systematic review which sought to understand partners’ experiences of primary or secondary tokophobia, inclusive of non-birthing fathers and co-parents, and other partners. Following a systematic search of international literature, four studies met inclusion, reported across six articles. Applying the thematic synthesis approach, three themes were developed:  ‘heightened awareness of threat towards life’, ‘roles, duties, and expectations as a partner’, and ‘finding ways to alleviate the extreme fears’.

Both papers highlight unique factors that partners experience in relation to birth trauma and tokophobia. Important clinical and research recommendations are outlined, including the need for more research into non-birthing parents’ experiences, greater consideration of intersectionality, and the importance of supporting both parents across the perinatal period.