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"What kind of man gets depressed after having a baby?" Fathers' experiences of mental health during the perinatal period.

Hambidge, S., Cowell, A., Arden-Close, E. and Mayers, A., 2021. "What kind of man gets depressed after having a baby?" Fathers' experiences of mental health during the perinatal period. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21 (1), 463.

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DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03947-7

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To date, information and support has been focused on mothers, with evidence that healthcare professionals overlook fathers' mental health, and that fathers receive little or no support for themselves during the perinatal period. However, recently, fathers' mental health has become an area of interest. METHODS: This study explored the support fathers receive for their own mental health during the perinatal period. A qualitative questionnaire was distributed on social media networks and completed by twenty-nine fathers. RESULTS: Thematic analysis produced three main themes: Factors Influencing Fathers' Mental Health, Consequences of Poor Mental Health in Fathers and Solutions to Improve Fathers' Mental Health. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study highlighted important implications about fathers' mental health and the need to support them more effectively. Fathers' reluctance to seek support and the limited support available need to be addressed. Fathers in this study perceived that perinatal health professionals view 'mothers as the priority'. It is clear that health professionals need more training on how to recognise that fathers are also important and need support for their mental health.

Item Type:Article
ISSN:1471-2393
Group:Faculty of Science & Technology
ID Code:35729
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:05 Jul 2021 13:18
Last Modified:14 Mar 2022 14:28

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