During pregnancy, 10 to 20 percent of women suffer from depression. However according to Huffington Post, there is a research that this situation doesn't only happen to the moms-to-be but also for the first-time dads, this theory was based on the study made by McGill University.
More or less 13 percent of the expectant fathers showed depression symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy. This is supported by a study published in the American Journal of Men's Health last September.
The added pressure of having a child can trigger this condition especially for men who are already vulnerable. So the earlier they can learn how to cope with the situation, the better it will be for them.
Deborah Da Costa, associate professor in McGill's Department of Medicine and lead author of the study said that usually women are asked how they feel and they get examined for this condition, but no one really asks the fathers how they are feeling.
The study highlights the importance of getting examined for this condition especially for fathers. There should be a dad-centered mental health resources and support group to help them transition to parenthood. They surveyed about 622 first-time expectant fathers in Canada, specifically in Quebec for over a year and a half. They were asked about physical activity, sleeping quality, stressful situations, social support and others. In order to determine the depressed mood, they had to use a scale which asked the participants to assess how often they would say such sentences as "I have been anxious and worried" over the last 7 days.
A study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines in 2008 showed that paternal depression showed that it can have a long-term impact on their children too as well. When they are depressed, their unborn child will likely to develop behavioral and emotional problems. For most pregnant women hormonal changes during pregnancy can trigger depression in women. However, pre-baby depression can also be caused by lack of partner support that can affect both the mother and the father. Until now, there are no further studies that showed how pre-baby depressions get triggered for both men and women.
