Swedish fathers are less likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis during their partner’s pregnancy or in the months immediately following the birth of their child. However, this pattern reverses over time. New research published in JAMA network open They report that diagnoses of depression and stress-related symptoms increase approximately 1 year after childbirth. The research was led by scientists from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and China’s Sichuan University.
“The transition to fatherhood is often accompanied by both positive experiences and a variety of new stresses,” says Jin Zhou, a doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet’s Institute of Environmental Medicine and co-lead author of the paper. “Many people value intimate time with their children, but at the same time their relationships with their partners can be affected and their sleep quality reduced, which can contribute to an increased risk of mental illness.”
Survey tracks more than 1 million fathers across Sweden
Researchers analyzed data from more than 1 million fathers whose children were born in Sweden between 2003 and 2021. Using linked national registers, we tracked when a man received a new psychiatric diagnosis, starting 1 year before pregnancy and continuing until the child reached 1 year of age.
Depression and stress diagnoses increase after 1 year
The findings show fewer psychiatric diagnoses during pregnancy and in the first months of life than before pregnancy. By the first year of life, diagnoses related to anxiety and substance use had returned to pre-pregnancy levels. In contrast, depression and stress-related disorders showed clear increases. These diagnoses increased by more than 30% compared to before pregnancy.
“The delayed increase in depression is unexpected and highlights the need to pay attention to warning signs of mental illness in fathers long after their children are born,” said Donghao Lu, senior lecturer and associate professor at Karolinska Institutet’s Institute of Environmental Medicine and corresponding author of the paper.
Timing support for fathers’ mental health
The researchers note that their results were based on clinical diagnoses and may not have included men who did not seek care. Still, this study highlights the time when fathers are most vulnerable during the early years of raising children.
“By identifying periods of heightened vulnerability, healthcare providers and other stakeholders can more easily provide support,” says Jing Zhou. “Postpartum depression is often discussed for new mothers, but fathers’ health is also important, both for themselves and the whole family.”
The research was conducted in collaboration with Sichuan University in China and Uppsala University in Sweden. This study was funded by the Karolinska Institutet’s Strategic Research Area in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, the Swedish Research Council, and the European Research Council. The researchers report no conflicts of interest.
