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. 2023 Apr;307(4):1255-1263.
doi: 10.1007/s00404-022-06612-2. Epub 2022 May 24.

Prenatal paternal depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden in different risk samples: an explorative study

Magdalena Zacher  1 , Nele Wollanka  1 , Christina Sauer  1 , Kathrin Haßtenteufel  2 , Stephanie Wallwiener  2 , Markus Wallwiener  2 , Imad Maatouk  3
Affiliations

Prenatal paternal depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden in different risk samples: an explorative study

Magdalena Zacher et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Growing evidence implies that transition to parenthood triggers symptoms of mental burden not only in women but likewise in men, especially in high-risk pregnancies. This is the first study that examined and compared the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden of expectant fathers who face different risk situations during pregnancy.

Methods: Prevalence rates of paternal depression (Edinburgh postnatal depression scale), anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder seven), and somatic symptom burden (somatic symptom scale eight) were examined in two risk samples and one control group in the third trimester of their partners' pregnancy: risk sample I (n = 41) consist of expectant fathers whose partners were prenatally hospitalized due to medical complications; risk sample II (n = 52) are fathers whose partners were prenatally mentally distressed; and control group (n = 70) are those non-risk pregnancies.

Results: On a purely descriptive level, the data display a trend of higher symptom burden of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in the two risk samples, indicating that expectant fathers, whose pregnant partners were hospitalized or suffered prenatal depression, were more prenatally distressed. Exploratory testing of group differences revealed an almost three times higher prevalence rate of anxiety in fathers whose partner was hospitalized (12.2%) compared to those non-risks (4.3%).

Conclusion: Results underline the need for screening implementations for paternal prenatal psychological distress, as well as specific prevention and treatment programs, especially for fathers in risk situations, such as their pregnant partners' prenatal hospitalization. The study was registered with the German clinical trials register (DRKS00020131) on 2019/12/09.

Keywords: Anxiety; Hospitalization; Prenatal paternal depression; Risk pregnancy; Somatic symptom burden.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sample description
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Group differences: median and confidence intervals of GAD-7
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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