Not Just Mothers, Fathers Too Should Be Screened For Postpartum Depression

It's important to ask new dads how they're doing. A new study suggests that 30% of fathers may experience postpartum depression.

New dads often feel stressed and scared

Women go through many physical, emotional, and behavioural changes during pregnancy and after giving birth. Postpartum blues or "baby blues" are common after giving birth, but some women, around one in seven, experience a much more serious mood disorder called postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression. The fact that many people didn't know is that postpartum depression doesn't just affect the mothers, it can affect dads too.

A new pilot study at the University of Illinois Chicago suggested that 30 per cent of new dads may have postpartum depression, and hence fathers should also be screened for the condition as well.

It's important to ask new dads how they're doing

New dads often feel stressed, scared and they struggle to balance work and parental and partner responsibilities, but no one is asking how they are doing, expressed lead author Dr. Sam Wainwright.

It's important to talk to new dads about their mental health as it can impact their partners' health.

According to Wainwright, having a depressed partner makes a women more susceptible to developing postpartum depression after childbirth.

For this study, the researchers interviewed and screened 24 dads for postpartum depression using the same tool that is commonly used to screen moms. 30% of them tested positive for the condition.

The study results were reported in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Who are more likely to experience postpartum depression?

The risk of developing postpartum depression is higher in first-time mothers, very young mothers, or older mothers. Other risk factors for PPD include: hormonal changes, history of depression or anxiety or mental illness, having a challenging baby or a baby with special needs, financial or employment problems, lack of social support, and motional stressors such as the death of a loved one.

Paternal postnatal depression (PPND) or postnatal depression in fathers may result from biological, environmental or personal or relationship-linked risk factors. Research has suggested lack of support from the female partner as one possible cause for postpartum depression in men.

Fluctuation of hormones during the postpartum period, presence of depression in the mother, lack of sleep, sexual frustration, increased financial stress, can all contribute to development of postpartum depression in fathers.