New Fathers Face Mental Health Challenges, Study Finds

Key TakeawaysNew fathers might face shaky mental health after childbirthThey have a significantly lower risk of psychiatric issues during pregnancy and right after deliveryBut risk of depression and stress-related disorders increases by 30% as their child’s first birthday approaches.TUESDAY, March 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) — New fathers might be proud poppas, but their mental health might be shaky as they adapt to their increased responsibilities, a new study says.Men have a 30% increased risk of depression and stress disorders by the end of their first year of fatherhood, researchers reported March 23 in JAMA Network Open.This follows a mental health boost among men during pregnancy and the first few months following birth, researchers found.“The delayed increase in depression was unexpected and underscores the need to pay attention to warning signs of mental ill-health in fathers long after the birth of their child,” senior researcher Dr. Donghao Lu said in a news release. Lu is a senior lecturer and associate professor at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institute in Sweden.For the study, researchers tracked 1.9 million births from nearly 1.1 million fathers that took place in Sweden between 2003 and 2021.Results showed that men were more than five times less likely to be diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder during their partner’s pregnancy and after their child’s birth.However, diagnosis rates returned to normal levels within a few months of delivery, and then increased by 30% for problems like depression and anxiety as their baby’s first birthday approached.And this could be an underestimate, researchers emphasized. The study is based on clinical diagnoses, which means that men who didn’t seek medical care might have been overlooked.“The transition to fatherhood often involves both positive experiences and a range of new stresses,” lead researcher Jing Zhou, a doctoral student at Karolinska Institute, said in a news release.“Many cherish the intimate moments with their child, whilst at the same time the relationship with their partner may be affected and sleep quality may deteriorate, which can contribute to an increased risk of mental ill-health,” Zhou said.These results indicate that men could be getting the short end of the stick when it comes to pregnancy care, said Dr. Khatiya Moon, medical director for the collaborative care program at Northwell Health in New York City."Screening for mental health concerns in fathers is important and is something that isn't really done very much," she said.“During pregnancy, a woman typically has roughly six to eight appointments with a doctor in the first postpartum year. An infant has roughly six or so appointments with a doctor, possibly more if they have medical complications, of course,” Moon said. “Whereas the father in that entire nine-month time span of the pregnancy plus the postpartum year, maybe they go see their primary care doctor once, if that.”Moon advises new fathers to make sure they look after themselves even as they’re caring for their family.“You can't support other people if you're not feeling supported yourself or if you're not well,” she said. “I would advise paying attention to any kind of mental health concerns or symptoms that are coming up; I think that is really important.”Support groups are emerging for new fathers, and these could be an important resource, Moon added.“There are new mom groups that they can join, support groups, non-clinical groups, WhatsApp groups, etc.,” Moon said. “I think there's a growing ecosystem of that kind of resource for fathers, but not an entirely established one. So, to the extent that fathers can seek out that kind of support or even start them in their own communities, I think that would be beneficial."More informationThe Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance has more on paternal mental health.SOURCES: Karolinska Institute, news release, March 23, 2026; Dr. Khatiya Moon, medical director, collaborative care program, Northwell Health, New York City .What This Means For YouNew fathers should be aware of their risk for depression and anxiety, particularly as their child’s first birthday approaches..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

New Fathers Face Mental Health Challenges, Study Finds

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