Social Support in the Perinatal Period: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Life Course Antecedents
- 1Deakin Lifespan Institute, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Deakin University Burwood Victoria Australia
- 2LifeCourse, Murdoch Children's Research Institute Parkville Victoria Australia
- 3School of Educational Psychology and Inclusion, Faculty of Education Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
Abstract
Background: Social support facilitates physical and mental health in the perinatal period for parents and their children. Yet, little is known about what predicts who will have access to support during this uniquely challenging time. From a life course perspective, the foundations of perinatal social support are likely to be evident well before parenthood.
Aim: To systematically review published and grey literature reporting studies that examined associations between parental perinatal social support (pregnancy to 18 months postpartum) and preconception antecedents.
Methods: We searched PsycINFO, Medline Complete, CINAHL Complete, Embase, PsycEXTRA, Open Dissertations, OPENGREY and the first 10 pages of Google and Google Scholar. Effects were meta‐analysed using univariate random effects models.
Results: In 143 included studies published between 1986 and 2023, 46 potential preconception antecedents of parents' perinatal social support were reported. Meta‐analyses revealed lower support was associated with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health disorder/s, migration, having a subsequent child, and unplanned pregnancy. Evidence of differences by structural and functional aspects of social support was limited. Most studies assessed parents' life histories retrospectively. Few studies included fathers or relational antecedents.
Conclusions and Implications: Evidence supports a life course perspective to enhance social support in the perinatal periods. Parents who experienced disruption to their developmental environment preconception, as early as childhood, may experience inadequate support in early parenthood, potentially perpetuating intergenerational cycles of psychosocial risk. When making referrals, nursing and other healthcare practitioners should consider, in collaboration with patients, whether supports are appropriate and responsive to parents' broader developmental contexts.
Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public involvement.
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BibTeX
@article{biden2026social,
title = {{Social Support in the Perinatal Period: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Life Course Antecedents}},
author = {Ebony J. Biden and Elizabeth A. Spry and Christopher J. Greenwood and Primrose Letcher and Jacquelyn A. Harverson and Amira Sabrova and Susan Hoffman and Monique N. Gandhi and Lauren M. Francis and Kayla A. Mansour and Liam G. Graeme and Sharon Y. Zhang and Craig A. Olsson and Jacqui A. Macdonald},
journal = {Journal of Advanced Nursing},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1111/jan.70677},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70677},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Social Support in the Perinatal Period: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Life Course Antecedents
AU - Ebony J. Biden
AU - Elizabeth A. Spry
AU - Christopher J. Greenwood
AU - Primrose Letcher
AU - Jacquelyn A. Harverson
AU - Amira Sabrova
AU - Susan Hoffman
AU - Monique N. Gandhi
AU - Lauren M. Francis
AU - Kayla A. Mansour
AU - Liam G. Graeme
AU - Sharon Y. Zhang
AU - Craig A. Olsson
AU - Jacqui A. Macdonald
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/28
JO - Journal of Advanced Nursing
DO - 10.1111/jan.70677
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.70677
AB - Background: Social support facilitates physical and mental health in the perinatal period for parents and their children. Yet, little is known about what predicts who will have access to support during this uniquely challenging time. From a life course perspective, the foundations of perinatal social support are likely to be evident well before parenthood. Aim: To systematically review published and grey literature reporting studies that examined associations between parental perinatal social support (pregnancy to 18 months postpartum) and preconception antecedents. Methods: We searched PsycINFO, Medline Complete, CINAHL Complete, Embase, PsycEXTRA, Open Dissertations, OPENGREY and the first 10 pages of Google and Google Scholar. Effects were meta‐analysed using univariate random effects models. Results: In 143 included studies published between 1986 and 2023, 46 potential preconception antecedents of parents' perinatal social support were reported. Meta‐analyses revealed lower support was associated with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health disorder/s, migration, having a subsequent child, and unplanned pregnancy. Evidence of differences by structural and functional aspects of social support was limited. Most studies assessed parents' life histories retrospectively. Few studies included fathers or relational antecedents. Conclusions and Implications: Evidence supports a life course perspective to enhance social support in the perinatal periods. Parents who experienced disruption to their developmental environment preconception, as early as childhood, may experience inadequate support in early parenthood, potentially perpetuating intergenerational cycles of psychosocial risk. When making referrals, nursing and other healthcare practitioners should consider, in collaboration with patients, whether supports are appropriate and responsive to parents' broader developmental contexts. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public involvement.
SN - 0309-2402
SN - 1365-2648
ER -