Topic: Research News

A new study found that fathers in Sweden are less likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis during their partner's pregnancy and early postpartum period. However, diagnoses of depression and stress-related conditions rise about a year after childbirth.

Fathers in Sweden are less likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis during their partner's pregnancy and early postpartum period. This pattern reverses over time, with diagnoses of depression and stress-related conditions rising about a year after childbirth.

The study was led by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Sichuan University in China. The researchers analyzed data from more than one million fathers whose children were born in Sweden between 2003 and 2021.

The findings show that psychiatric diagnoses became less common during pregnancy and in the early months after birth compared with the year before pregnancy. By one year after birth, diagnoses related to anxiety and substance use had returned to levels seen before pregnancy. In contrast, depression and stress-related disorders showed a clear increase.

The study highlights when fathers may be most vulnerable during early parenthood.

Implications

A new study found that fathers in Sweden are less likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis during their partner's pregnancy and early postpartum period. However, diagnoses of depression and stress-related conditions rise about a year after childbirth.