Prenatal and Postpartum Depression in Fathers and Its Association With Maternal Depression

Abstract

Prenatal and postpartum depression was evident in about 10% of men in the reviewed studies and was relatively higher in the 3- to 6-month postpartum period. Paternal depression also showed a moderate positive correlation with maternal depression.

The Course and Interrelationship of Maternal and Paternal Perinatal Depression

“…Due to our oversampling strategy, baseline depression rates were high in both mothers (32.1 %) and fathers (20.5 %) when compared to national estimates (mothers, 14 %; fathers, 10 %) Paulson and Bazemore 2010). Our analysis indicates that, although depressive symptom severity declined somewhat from the prenatal measurement to 6 months postpartum, both symptom severity and rates of depression were quite stable.…”

“…It is the first study of its kind to use parallel measurement of depression in both parents at multiple time points, spaced closely enough to roughly characterize both parents' course of symptoms during pregnancy and early infancy. In addition to providing information on depressive course, the parallel measurement in both parents was used to examine the interaction between paternal and maternal depression across this time period, information that may be important for screening, prevention, and treatment.Due to our oversampling strategy, baseline depression rates were high in both mothers (32.1 %) and fathers (20.5 %) when compared to national estimates (mothers, 14 %; fathers, 10 %) Paulson and Bazemore 2010). Our analysis indicates that, although depressive symptom severity declined somewhat from the prenatal measurement to 6 months postpartum, both symptom severity and rates of depression were quite stable.…”

“…Fewer studies have examined paternal depression during this period, and longitudinal data on this topic are sparse (Paulson and Bazemore 2010). Two studies suggest that the prevalence of paternal depression decreases shortly after the birth of a baby and then gradually increases over the child's first year (Cox 2005;Matthey et al 2000), whereas other studies show paternal depressive symptoms to be relatively stable throughout the perinatal period (Deater-Deckard et al 1998;Raskin et al 1990).…”

“…A complementary focus on depression in expecting and new fathers has only more recently taken shape. This emerging literature suggests that elevated depressive risk is also a problem for expecting and new fathers (Paulson and Bazemore 2010). Moreover, much like the literature on maternal depression, evidence regarding paternal depression points to increases in risks for the child, both in terms of relative impairments in parenting (Davis et al 2011;Paulson et al 2009) and longterm functioning in children (Ramchandani et al 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, the risk for depression remains elevated throughout the first postpartum year Monti et al 2008). Although maternal postpartum depression is often relatively short-lived, for many women, depression can become prolonged or chronic, especially if there is a history of major depression (Cooper and Murray 1995;Goodman 2004;Horowitz and Goodman 2004).Fewer studies have examined paternal depression during this period, and longitudinal data on this topic are sparse (Paulson and Bazemore 2010). Two studies suggest that the prevalence of paternal depression decreases shortly after the birth of a baby and then gradually increases over the child's first year (Cox 2005;Matthey et al 2000), whereas other studies show paternal depressive symptoms to be relatively stable throughout the perinatal period (Deater-Deckard et al 1998;Raskin et al 1990).…”