Postpartum Depression Hits Dads, Too?by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 08 Aug 2006 11:13 AM A new study has found that postpartum depression isn't just a problem for mothers! A recent study that followed more than five thousand new parents found that about fourteen percent of mothers and ten percent of fathers showed signs of depression. According to the study leader, a professor from the Eastern Virginia Medical School Center for Pediatric Research, this is the first nation-wide look at postpartum depression. Smaller studies have found similar results -- that fathers, too, may succumb to moderate or severe postpartum depression -- but this is the largest study to date. The study found that both basic activities and day-to-day interactions with the baby were impaired by postpartum depression in both mothers and fathers. A new study will look at the patterns of screening for postpartum depression in both parents -- detecting postpartum depression is the first step in treating it. Pediatricians are probably in the best position to detect postpartum depression in new parents, but don't often catch the problem. Some pediatricians may not even see the father at office visits. Then again, pediatricians are first and foremost concerned with the health of the baby; the mental state of either or both parents comes second, if at all. Why might a father experience postpartum depression?
Depression in the new father may lead him to be more solitary. He may work longer, drink more, or lose himself in sports. For more information on pregnancy, visit the Pregnancy Blog. For more information on depression, visit the Mental Health Blog. Learn more about Aimee Amodio  Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover... Relevanthealth tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags depression, fatherhood, motherhood, postpartum depression, pregnancy Discuss this article
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