After welcoming a baby into the world, it can stir up a range of powerful emotions for new parents
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects anywhere between 5.0 per cent and 56.1 per cent of pregnant women worldwide.
It is characterised by persistent low emotion in the puerperium, which may impact the new mother’s quality of life and family functioning, according to BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.
PPD can trigger mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
It’s important to note that PPD is not a weakness or flaw. It’s common for the disorder to develop as a complication after giving birth.
Women predominantly suffer from the disorder, which can be a long-lasting form of depression.
However, studies have shown that PPD can impact new fathers as well and is estimated to affect between eight and 13% of fathers.
The study conducted by the University of Illinois, Chicago, sampled 24 fathers and found that 30 per cent of the sample showed signs of depression between one and 15 months after their child was born.
They also proposed that the percentage of fathers experiencing PPD could increase to 50 per cent when the mother is also experiencing it.
Fathers who were actively involved in relationships with mothers or infants receiving primary care at an intergenerational postpartum primary care clinic located at a Midwest urban academic safety net health system were approached with the mothers’ permission to participate in the research.
This small sample of fathers demonstrated significant peripartum mental health challenges that would be unlikely to have been identified outside of the research.
Researchers determined that this pilot research into the area was a step towards incorporating paternal health into models when supporting families.
They also suggested that new dads should be tested for postpartum depression and stated that expanding screening for paternal PPD into routine primary care was necessary to reach more affected fathers.
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