Intending fathers need to mind their mental health … to protect their unborn babies.  Depressed dads can unknowingly trigger labour in pregnant partners –  leading to preterm birth.  A new Swedish study, published in the British Journal of Obs and Gynae, issued the stark ‘depressed dads alert.’
Men with anxiety and depression for 12 months before conception – as well as during the pregnancy – skyrocket the risk of early delivery by 38%.
What are the dangers?
Doctors know depression in pregnant women is a key factor  (34%) in triggering labour before a baby is ready to be born. As a midwife in Special Care Baby Unit- SCBU – I saw the heartbreak of preemies. Premature babies risk low birth weight, breathing difficulties, failure to thrive, infection and growth retardation – and months in hospital. Parents on lumpy mattresses, far from home. Then home alone without their baby. The emotional toll on parents is huge. It may be years before preemies catch up with their peers – and not all survive the tense early days.
Full term babies are born after 38-40 weeks of pregnancy, around the due date of delivery. Prematurity is classed as  the early arrival of a baby. That’s between 32-38 weeks, before growth and development are complete. ‘Very premature’ describes a baby born before 31 weeks.
Mental stress and anxiety are caused by a wide variety of factors – Â illness, relationship difficulties, death of a loved one, lack of social support and all of these may increase a woman’s risk of depression during pregnancy.
What should you look for?
Dr.Patrick O’Brien, Ob/Gyn Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology warns, ‘Depression in pregnancy is very serious, up to 29% of woman suffer from it. We advise those planning a family, or who are pregnant, to notice anxiety,change in mood or irritability to seek help. No-one should suffer in silence.’
Depressed dads alert
The Swedish study tracked 350,000 birth over 5 years. Paying special attention to men showed how important men’s mental wellness is during the 12 months before conception, and in the first 6 months of pregnancy. It revealed fathers-to-be mental health has a major impact on their family. The stress of infertility is a huge precursor to depression in men and can sabotage pregnancy.
Fertility
Prof.Anders Hjern, at the  Stockholm Centre for Health Equity Studies said,’Depression in a partner is a source of stress for the mother. Paternal depression affects sperm quality. It has an epigenetic effect on the baby DNA and the placenta (baby’s lifeline). The study highlights the need to treat depression in women and men.
IVF
Women are usually the main focus. of IVF treatment. Tests, surgery, meds, bloods scans fill the diary. Blokes get a sperm analysis and retire to ‘the room’ to walk in a cup at the clinic. Fertility treatment is scary for men. In my office husbands and partners tell me how it makes them feel – Â powerless, inadequate and failed, how they hate seeing watching their wife or partner going through so much, without being able to share the burden. Sex often becomes a miserable shadow of itself. Guys miss the great sex with fun, passion and play. Pressure to perform in the short ‘fertile window’, hoping it will happen this time, the two-week wait all erode sexual confidence. Â I find men worry a lot about side-effects and health risks of treatment – and the real financial burden of IVF.
Women talk. Men rarely have the same support systems partners enjoy. Infertility, subfertility or fertility issues … whatever you call it, guys don’t have anyone to talk to, for themselves. Orla, veteran of 7 miscarriages told me yesterday, ‘You can’t share in the same way with a sister or a friend. You need someone professional, outside your circle to support, guide, help you, even kick your butt occasionally if it helps!’
And that, my friends is what I do.
