Sad Dads – Depression Before and After Childbirth

Depression before and after childbirth is a well-known problem for moms … but it may affect a lot of new dads, too. Steps to address depression around childbirth may need to include both parents rather than just one.

An estimated ten to 15 percent of women have postpartum depression within the year after giving birth. Major changes in hormones following childbirth may be, at least in part, responsible for the depression.

Studies measured how fathers felt during pregnancy and after childbirth. They found that overall, about 10 percent of fathers had depression during the period from the first trimester of pregnancy through the baby’s first year.

The highest rate of depression in dads occurred when the baby was three to six months old. Depression in moms and dads sometimes went hand-in-hand. However, none of the studies that the authors looked at suggested that the moms’ depression led to depression in the dads.
Because depression in fathers can affect their children, the researchers suggest that health care providers look for this problem in new dads. Steps to address depression around childbirth may need to include both parents rather than just one.