Dads Get Postpartum Depression Too

Women aren't the only ones affected by postpartum depression, says a new study. Dads get the baby blues too.

James F. Paulson and colleagues at the Center for Pediatric Research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA reviewed data on more than 5,000 two-parent families with children aged nine months.

Paulson's group found that 1 in 10 new dads met the criteria for moderate to severe postpartum depression. In an interview with WebMD, Paulson said this was a "striking increase" from the usual 3-5% of men in the general population suffering from depression.

The research presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association also showed that 14% of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression, compared to 7-10% of women in the general population.

Paulson's team also found that depressed moms and dads were less likely to interact with their babies by reading, telling stories or singing songs to them. However, only the dad's behavior had a significant effect on the child's development at 24 months. When the depressed fathers didn't read to their children they had a much smaller vocabulary.

According to Paulson, men tend to exhibit different symptoms than women with postpartum depression. While women tend to be sad and withdrawn, men with postpartum depression are more likely to be irritable, aggressive or hostile.

If you're a new dad who's feeling stressed and overwhelmed, please don't hesitate to talk with your doctor. Depression can affect not only you, but also your child.