There has been a lot of talk in recent times about postnatal depression in women, with celebrities and other high-profile figures encouraging more mums to speak out about their experiences.

 

However, dads cannot be forgotten in this conversation, and scientists have proven exactly why this is the case.

 

According to new research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders this week, men are just as prone to suffering from anxiety as women in the early weeks and months after becoming parents.

 

 

Lead study author Dr Liana Leach reviewed 43 different reports as part of her research, and concluded that around one in 10 men experience anxiety both before and after a child’s birth.

 

Dr Leach said that the strong and innate bond between a mother and her child can compound a new father’s emotional struggles.

 

She said: “Men can feel left out of the process, because pregnancy and childbirth are so integrally linked to the mother. It can compound the problem. They don’t seek help, because they think ‘it’s not so much about me.’”

 

While Dr Leach said that anxiety in new parents is common, she stressed that it must be addressed if it persists.

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