COLLEGE STATION, Texas, March 25 (UPI) -- Having a baby can damage a marriage in ways new parents never anticipate, Texas A&M researchers warned Wednesday.

Brian Doss, a psychology professor, said an eight-year study of 218 relationships found the arrival of a couple's first child was often followed by increased problems, a decrease in their confidence the marriage would last and declines in their overall satisfaction with the marriage, the university said in a news release.

The researchers found couples who were married longer and had a higher income appeared to have fewer problems after the birth of their first child.

The findings are published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

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