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First time expectant fathers need mental health resources just as much as new expectant mothers as paternal prenatal mental health has an impact on maternal and child outcome. Aim:To explore the prevalence of pregnancy blues among first time expectant fathers. Settings and design:Purposive sampling was used to recruit first time expectant fathers during their low risk partners at 4-37 weeks of gestation visit to antenatal clinics at MCH services.Material and methods: With informed consent the first time expectant fathers were screened for the prevalence of pregnancy blues by Pregnancy Blues Questionnaire consisting of 15 Likert items, scored on a 4-point scale, ranging from mild blue (1) to intense blue (4), with the scores ranging from 15 to 60. SPSS version 20 used for statistical analysis. Results:The prevalence of meaningful pregnancy blues among first time expectant fathers during partners pregnancy was 89.79% (cut of score >30). The men's blues were primarily related to ambivalent feelings about pregnancy, health status of their partner and unborn baby, overwhelming sense of responsibilities, changes in their physical and mental well-being, life style changes, psychological and social isolation form partner, family and friends, labor process, poor support form health personnel, their parenting capacity, balance between work and family life. Conclusion:Health professionals are in an ideal position to provide support to first time expectant fathers. Offering the first time expectant fathers the space to talk about how they are feeling and including them in the prenatal care is the first step to minimize pregnancy blues among men. Key MessageA paradigm shift is required in MCH services, from a focus on women to a broader family perspective with the focus firmly on men friendly initiatives to promote healthier concepts of fatherhood within families.

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