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Background Preventing perinatal mood problems is critical because of the adverse consequences for the individual and their family. Partner support is an ideal target for prevention efforts as it is a protective factor for both perinatal depression and anxiety and is modifiable. Method This review explores the current evidence and future directions for interventions that aim to reduce the risk of perinatal mood problems by addressing partner support. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant peer‐reviewed studies. Interventions were eligible for inclusion if they aimed to facilitate partner support or strengthen the couple relationship, and included perinatal depression or anxiety as an outcome variable. Results A number of prevention efforts have been developed that include a partner component, and these have reported some benefits. Even so, not all of these interventions were delivered to both mothers and fathers, and research evaluating their effects on paternal mental health is lacking. In addition, current prevention strategies tend to be limited by low attendance rates. Conclusions Future research should focus on developing interventions that provide more opportunities for the active involvement of both partners. Alternatives to psycho‐education groups should be explored to increase accessibility and enable scalability.

BackgroundSystematic reviews have established that partner support protects against perinatal mood problems. It is therefore a key target for interventions designed to prevent maternal and paternal depression and anxiety. Nonetheless, the extant literature is yet to be translated into specific actions that parents can implement. Prevention efforts aiming to facilitate reciprocal partner support within the couple dyad need to provide specific guidance on how partners can support one another to reduce their vulnerability to perinatal depression and anxiety.MethodTwo panels of experts in perinatal mental health (21 consumer advocates and 39 professionals) participated in a Delphi consensus study to establish how partners can support one another to reduce their risk of developing depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period.ResultsA total of 214 recommendations on how partners can support each other were endorsed by at least 80 % of both panels as important or essential in reducing the risk of perinatal depression and anxiety. The recommendations were grouped under the following categories: becoming a parent, supporting each other through pregnancy and childbirth, communication, conflict, division of labor, practical support, emotional support, emotional closeness, sexual satisfaction, using alcohol and drugs, encouraging self-care, developing acceptance, and help-seeking.ConclusionThis study established consensus between consumers and professionals in order to produce a set of guidelines on how partners can support each other to prevent depression and anxiety during pregnancy and following childbirth. It is hoped that these guidelines will inform the development of perinatal depression and anxiety prevention efforts.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0721-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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