Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Joshua Leo.
Voice 1
One July day, the genetic material of a man and the genetic material of a woman come together. The two small pieces form a single cell. Over a period of nine months, that cell divides and multiplies many times. At the end of nine months, a perfectly formed baby waits to be born.
Voice 2
One May day, it is time for that baby to be born. The mother and father finally get to meet their new child. Their family and friends are also excited about the new birth. It is a happy time for everyone.
Voice 1
But sometimes this happiness does not last. A new baby represents a huge change in life. His parents have new responsibilities. They have a new relationship with each other. They have new pressures and emotions.
Voice 2
Recently you may have heard a few Spotlight programs about the baby blues and postpartum depression. After a woman experiences birth, she may also experience a short period of sadness. She may not be able to control her emotions. Doctors believe that these emotional changes are caused by changes in natural body chemicals called hormones. People call this period of time ‘the baby blues.’ But sometimes the baby blues lasts even longer. It may be a deeper and more intense kind of sadness called postpartum depression.
Voice 1
Doctors have known about these effects on a mother for many years. But in the past few years they have discovered something else. Doctors have confirmed that postpartum depression can affect new fathers too. And a father suffering from postpartum depression can affect his children’s future.
Voice 2
In August 2006, two medical schools released a research study. The researchers studied more than five thousand [5,000] families. Each family included a nine month old baby. The researchers asked the new mothers and fathers questions about depression. Fourteen [14] percent of new mothers in the study showed signs of depression. The researchers expected this to be the case. But the researchers were surprised that ten [10] percent of the fathers also showed strong signs of depression. This is more than twice the normal rate of depression in men of the general population.
Voice 1
Another study showed similar results. A British research study looked at twenty thousand [20,000] new parents. Their babies were eight months old at the beginning of the study. And the study continued until the children were three and a half [3 ?] years old. The British study found that ten [10] percent of mothers, and four [4] percent of fathers showed signs of depression.
Voice 2
Both of these studies wanted to research the effect of a father’s depression on his children. Babies need a lot of play and communication. This helps them develop physically, mentally, and emotionally. These studies found that depressed fathers did not communicate enough with their babies. The fathers did not play with or tell stories to their babies.
Voice 1
The British researchers continued to study the families for a longer time. When the babies were three and a half [3 ?] years old, researchers could still see the effects of depressed fathers. Each of the fathers had suffered signs of depression when their baby was two months old. These children had twice as many emotional and behavioral problems as children of fathers who were not depressed.
Voice 2
These are important results. And researchers hope that these studies will help to inform the public about postpartum depression in men.
Voice 1
After the birth of a baby, doctors or health care workers may make an effort to make sure that the new mother is happy and healthy. Some health care workers are trained to look for signs of postpartum depression in mothers. They try to help the new mother find support. But there is rarely a support system for fathers. Experts say that many cases of postpartum depression in fathers go unrecognized.
Voice 2
Clearly, men do not go through the same physical and mental changes as women at the time of birth. A new mother’s physical body is changing. Doctors believe these changes may affect her brain chemical levels. These chemical changes may cause depression. But a new father does not experience these clear physical changes. So what causes postpartum depression in new fathers?
Voice 1
Well, the simple answer is that doctors and researchers do not know. One research study suggests that some hormone levels in a father’s body also change around the time of birth. Some experts suggest that the emotional pressures of new responsibilities may be difficult for a new father.
Voice 2
But one thing is sure. Depressed fathers do have an effect on their children. Paul Ramchandani led the British study. He says that depression in mothers often affects both daughters and sons. But depression in fathers has a greater effect on sons. Sons of depressed fathers are more likely to have behavioral problems.
Voice 1
Why is this? Well, depressed fathers may not spend as much time with their children as they should. That was the case in this next story. A father who suffered from postpartum depression tells of his experience:
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“As a first-time father I wanted to be able to take care of our new baby and my wife, as well as look after the finances and work ... Basically, I wanted to look after everyone and everything. Except I did not take care of myself]”
“A turning point for me was when I held our little baby and just started crying. I had been keeping away from our little girl because I did not want her to see that I was weak and depressed. Holding her close, letting go of everything, and just being me, helped me to be the father I am today.”
“You do not have to be strong as a rock. Express yourself and do not keep things inside. My whole experience of depression as a new young father was the most difficult thing in my life. But it was also a gift because it opened my eyes, soul, and heart.”
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Shari I. Lusskin is a doctor at the New York University School of Medicine. She says:
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“Postpartum depression is not a mother’s problem; it’s a family problem.”
Voice 1
Postpartum depression is a real sickness. And there are ways to treat it. No parent should suffer alone under the pressure of postpartum depression. Doctor Lusskin says:
Voice 4
“Mothers and fathers do not get depressed because they are bad parents... Depression is a medical condition, not a moral condition. If you feel that your mood is not what it should be after the birth of a child, or if you feel your wife or husband’s mood is not normal, seek help, and seek help early. The sooner you get treated, the better - and the fewer consequences for the mother, the father, and the child... And treatment should involve both parents - not just the one who seems to be depressed.”
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