It is widely acknowledged that approximately 1 in 10 men experience postnatal depression (Paulson and Bazemore, 2010). The mental health of fathers during the perinatal period has been linked to maternal mental well-being (Paulson et al., 2016) and can impact offspring outcomes such as conduct problems and psychiatric illness (Gentile and Fusco, 2017). Given these connections, the mental health of men during the perinatal period should be a priority for public and family health initiatives and perinatal mental health services. These services are being targeted for investment and expansion under the UK NHS Long-Term Plan and Mental Health Implementation Plan (The NHS Long Term Plan, 2019; 2019a). Early detection of men at risk, improving outcomes, and promoting overall family well-being during this critical time of transition and child development is crucial (Bruno et al., 2020).
However, much of the existing research on men’s perinatal mental health is cross-sectional and relies on retrospective reporting (Chhabra, McDermott & Li, 2020; Wee et al., 2011). Longitudinal studies that do exist have identified significant predictors of paternal postnatal depression, such as a history of severe depressive symptoms and high prenatal scores on measures of depression and anxiety symptoms (Ramchandani et al., 2008). There is a need for prospective studies that identify preconception risk factors for suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms in new fathers, particularly focusing on broad psychosocial factors that can be detected early to inform preconception care and family health initiatives.
Giallo and colleagues (2023) utilized data from the Australian national longitudinal study ‘The Ten to Men Study’ to examine men’s mental health during the perinatal period, specifically looking at depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in the first year postpartum and preconception risk factors associated with these symptoms. The study population consisted of 205 men who became fathers in the year prior to wave 2 data collection of the study.
The study employed bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses to identify preconception factors associated with postnatal depressive symptoms. Results showed that preconception depressive symptoms were a significant predictor of future depressive symptoms after birth. Other factors such as financial difficulties, lifetime suicidal ideation, and violent partner relationships were also identified in the bivariate analyses, but did not reach statistical significance in the multivariate model.
In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of preconception and perinatal mental health care for men transitioning to fatherhood. The findings emphasize the need for such care to be integrated into universal settings. The study’s strengths lie in its focus on practical risk factors that healthcare providers can identify during preconception or prenatal care. Additionally, the use of a validated screening measure of depression and a geographically representative cohort add to the study’s validity. However, the low response rate and potential selective attrition of participants with higher depressive symptoms may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Moving forward, further research should target non-English speaking fathers and consider including qualitative interviews with participants to delve deeper into specific mental health symptoms. Understanding the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation is crucial for the development of effective interventions in this population.
