New Dads Get Postpartum Depression, Too

Postpartum depression is a real thing — and it's not just a problem for new moms. A new study from Northwestern University says that young fathers are at risk to be "hit hard" by the baby blues.

According to the survey, depression symptoms jumped an incredible 68 percent for men who became first-time dads around the age of 25, and they lasted at least five years following the child's birth. That means that new dad depression could affect them during some of the most important moments of their kid's life, like first walks, first words, and first days of preschool.

"It’s not just new moms who need to be screened for depression, dads are at risk, too," said Dr. Craig Garfield, who was the lead author on the study. "Parental depression has a detrimental effect on kids, especially during those first key years of parent-infant attachment. We need to do a better job of helping young dads transition through that time period."

Scientists are starting to focus on male postpartum depression, which hasn't been studied as much as its female counterpart. A 2010 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that about ten percent of new fathers were coping with depression. That number climbed to 25 percent within the first 3-6 month after the baby's birth. Unsurprisingly, there was a correlation between depressed new moms and depressed new dads, which only highlights how much every member of the family needs proper health care following a baby's birth.

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