Fathers’ mental health deteriorates long after the birth of their child
Karolinska Institutet • • health
Key Points:
- The risk of psychiatric diagnoses in fathers decreases during pregnancy and the first months after birth but returns to pre-pregnancy levels for anxiety and substance-related disorders one year postpartum.
- Depression and stress-related disorders in fathers increase by over 30% one year after childbirth compared to before pregnancy, indicating a delayed rise in mental health issues.
- Researchers highlight the importance of monitoring fathers' mental health long after childbirth to provide timely support and address warning signs of depression.
- The study is based on clinical diagnoses, possibly missing men who did not seek medical care, but it identifies critical periods of vulnerability for paternal mental health.
- Conducted in collaboration with Chinese and Swedish universities, the research was funded by Karolinska Institutet and other European bodies, with no reported conflicts of interest.
