What the study found
Fathers in Sweden were less likely to receive a diagnosed psychiatric disorder during a partner's pregnancy and the early postpartum period than in the year before conception. Rates later in the first postpartum year returned to levels similar to the preconception period.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these patterns may reflect temporary protection and delayed detection during the transition to fatherhood. They say the findings support paternal mental health surveillance, particularly for depression and stress-related disorders in the late postpartum period.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used linked national register data in a prospective cohort study of all fathers of children born in Sweden between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2021. They compared annual and weekly incidence rates of newly diagnosed psychiatric disorders during pregnancy and the year after childbirth with the year before pregnancy, using standardized rates and adjusted Poisson regression.
What worked and what didn't
Among 1,096,198 fathers and 1,915,722 births, the incidence of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder was lower during pregnancy and early post partum than in the corresponding preconception weeks. Similar patterns were seen for anxiety, alcohol use, and drug use disorders, while depression and stress-related disorders showed about a 30% increase toward the end of the first postpartum year. Tobacco use disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and psychosis stayed relatively stable across the periods.
What to keep in mind
The summary provided does not describe detailed limitations beyond the study's observational design and reliance on diagnosed disorders in national registers. The findings apply to fathers in Sweden and to the time window studied, from 1 year before to 1 year after pregnancy.
Key points
- The study found lower diagnosed psychiatric disorder rates in fathers during pregnancy and early post partum than before conception.
- Rates of any diagnosed psychiatric disorder returned to comparable levels later in the first postpartum year.
- Depression and stress-related disorders increased toward the end of the first postpartum year.
- Anxiety, alcohol use, and drug use disorders showed the same overall pregnancy/postpartum pattern as any psychiatric disorder.
- Tobacco use disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis were relatively stable across the study periods.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Fathers had lower diagnosed psychiatric disorder rates during pregnancy and early post partum
- Authors:
- Nanyan Xiang, Jing Zhou, Yifei Lin, Yihui Yang, Miriam Martini, Bowen Tang, Yufeng Chen, Fotios C. Papadopoulos, Emma Fransson, Alkistis Skalkidou, Jin Huang, Donghao Lu
- Institutions:
- Sichuan University, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Karolinska Institutet, Uppsala University
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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