After the birth of a child, not only mothers of newborns, but also fathers can suffer from postpartum depression. Scientists from University College London told which men are at risk.
What is postpartum depression?
Postpartum depression is a serious form of mental disorder caused by depressive states before and during pregnancy, stress, lack of help with a small child, financial difficulties, conflicts in the family, hormonal changes and much more.
Postpartum depression can manifest itself as follows:
- After the birth of a child, you are constantly sad;
- Have you lost interest in the world around you;
- You get tired all the time;
- Don’t sleep well or don’t sleep at all;
- Is it difficult for you to concentrate or make a decision;
- You are sometimes visited by thoughts of harming your child.
Postpartum depression in men
English scientists from University College London analyzed 23 major studies on postpartum depression that were published from 1990 to 2021. These papers contained data from about 30 thousand couples who had recently had a baby at the time of the study.
As a result, experts found that after the birth of the baby, 13% of women and 9% of men suffered from poor mental health and had symptoms of postpartum depression. At the same time, mothers and fathers could develop depression at different times.
9% of new fathers suffer from postpartum depression
What is the reason for the development of postpartum depression in men? The researchers noticed that unemployed fathers and dads with a low level of education showed symptoms more often. Unresolved problems between partners and depressive states in the past also increased the risk of the disorder. In addition, the analysis showed that if a mother suffers from postpartum depression, her partner’s risk of developing this condition increases threefold.