Prenatal green space use and emotional well-being in expectant couples: a longitudinal study

Background

While greenness exposure has been linked to maternal and offspring health, few studies have examined time spent using green spaces, which may better capture actual use and perceived accessibility, particularly in high-density Asian cities. This study investigates associations between time spent using green spaces and emotional well-being, including eudaimonia, positive affect, and stress, among expectant parents.

Methods

We analyzed 2020–2025 data from the Longitudinal Examination across Prenatal and Postpartum Health, an ongoing cohort study in Taipei, Taiwan, since 2011. Perceived stress and subjective well-being (life satisfaction, eudaimonia, positive and negative affect) were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale and an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development-based questionnaire, respectively. Time spent using green spaces was self-reported and dichotomized at the 75th percentile. Generalized linear models and generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used for examination.

Results

A total of 311 pairs were included. After adjusting for covariates, higher green space use was associated with lower maternal stress and negative affect in the third trimester (β = -0.87 and -0.57, all p<.05), and higher eudaimonia in the last two trimesters (β = 1.20–1.21, all p<.05). For fathers, greater use was related to higher first-trimester life satisfaction and positive affect in the first two trimesters (β = 0.59–0.73, all p<.05). GEEs showed that higher use across pregnancy was associated with increased paternal eudaimonia and positive affect (β = 0.59 and 0.51, 95% CI [0.09, 1.09] and [0.21, 0.81], respectively).

Conclusions

Prenatal green space use may support emotional well-being in expectant parents, with patterns differing by parental role. Stage-specific associations in mothers and more consistent benefits in fathers underscore the need to consider parental roles and longitudinal dynamics in examining green space-related mental health.

Key messages

• Prenatal green space use is associated with better emotional well-being among expectant parents, with stronger benefits for mothers in late pregnancy and more consistent effects for fathers.

• Higher green space use during pregnancy is linked to better emotional well-being in both mothers and fathers, underscoring the importance of supporting green space use in hyper-dense urban cities.