Since posting a new dad's question about male postpartum depression research and resources earlier in the week, the international medical community has been spurred into action.
After studying 12,800 couples over the first few weeks after a birth, they found that male postnatal depression (a switch in terminology that, I'm pretty sure originated in the DT comments section) could have a significant detrimental effect on kids' behavior and emotional development, particularly boys'. The incidence of male PND was given at 4%, but as Dr. Paul Ramchandani said, it is probably underestimated.
"'Although our findings need to be confirmed and expanded, we believe that after the birth of a child, depression in fathers, as well as depression in mothers, should be actively considered,' he added."
Indeed. Their study is published in the latest edition of The Lancet. And all this in three days? Impressive hop-to, guv'na. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the balcony to declare myself emperor for life.
Dads can suffer postnatal depression [msnbc, via kaz]
Study finds postpartum depression isn't just a mother's ill [boston.com]
Paternal postnatal depression: fathers emerge from the wings [thelancet.com, reg req, or bugmenot]
Coming soon: Ramchandani's research on blog-induced delusions of grandeur in new dads.
Sunday Times columnist India Knight rubbished the whole idea of daddy depression recently.
See very bottom of link page.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1669085,00.html
Her comments made my Mrs's laugh out loud.
;-)