ArticleJournal of affective disorders2023
Fathers' subjective childbirth stress predicts depressive symptoms at six months postpartum.
Article in Journal of affective disorders, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Quality of Life of Parents of Premature Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2026Pooled it
- Birthing partners - validation of a questionnaire to assess the well-being of support persons.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- No evidence for relationship between paternal post-partum depressive symptoms and testosterone or cortisol in first-time fathers.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundChildbirth is a seminal experience in parents' lives. However, little research has investigated the link between fathers' birth experiences and their postpartum mental health. We hypothesized that a more subjectively stressful birth will predict greater self-reported depressive symptoms in fathers at six months postpartum. We also investigated the association between mode of delivery and paternal subjective stress.
methodsSeventy-seven heterosexual fathers expecting their first child and cohabiting with their pregnant partners participated in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed in pregnancy and again at six months postpartum. Subjective birth stress was measured within the first few days of the birth, and birth charts were collected to examine mode of delivery.
resultsFathers' ratings of subjective birth stress significantly predicted postpartum depressive symptoms at six months postpartum. Subjective birth stress ratings varied significantly for fathers whose partners delivered via emergency cesarean section compared to those whose partners gave birth via both medicated and the unmedicated vaginal delivery. LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its small community (non-clinical) sample, which was restricted to heterosexual, cohabitating couples. Additionally, births were mostly uncomplicated and only 14 mothers underwent emergency cesarean section.
conclusionThese findings highlight that the days immediately following childbirth are a window of opportunity for early intervention in new fathers at risk for postpartum depression.
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Registered trials
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