Abstract overview:
The transition to parenthood is a critical period, and the father’s positive emotional involvement contributes to the development of strong bonds with the fetus and improves child health outcomes.

Aims and objectives:
This study aims to explore the prenatal attachment of expectant fathers, particularly their emotions and attitudes, while investigating its relationship with father’s social traits.

Method:
The study included 75 participants from North Greece. Data was collected between March 2024 to July 2025 via the distribution of questionnaires. The Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (PAAS) was used to assess the degree of attachment to the developing fetus. Statistical analysis was performed via GraphPad Prism. Descriptive analysis was performed by calculating means and standard deviations for quantitative variables and to investigate possible differences the Independent Samples t-test was used. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Results:
Most participants (62.9%) demonstrated a high level of paternal antenatal attachment, reporting positive emotions toward the fetus. Attachment levels were found to increase as pregnancy progressed, with mean PAAS scores of 60.6 in the first trimester, 62.1 in the second trimester, and 64.3 in the third trimester. This increase was statistically significant (One-Way ANOVA, p < 0.05). A statistically significant association between antenatal attachment and both age and educational level was observed. Participants aged 26–35 years showed the highest attachment scores (Mean: 66), while those holding a postgraduate degree also reported higher levels of attachment (Mean: 66.4). Notably, men experiencing fatherhood for the first time appeared to feel emotionally closer to the fetus compared with fathers who already had children (One-Way ANOVA, p < 0.05).

Conclusion:
In conclusion, participants demonstrated strong emotional attachment and positive feelings toward the fetus, highlighting the father’s emotional involvement, which progresses linearly across the trimesters of pregnancy as the fathers are preparing for their new role. Factors such as age, education, and other psychological and socioeconomic variables may influence attachment. Thus, encouraging father-fetal attachment by midwives and offering personalized counseling through prenatal programs across the father’s journey to parenthood is deemed essential.