The health of postnatal women's partners up to 18 months after their baby was born: a longitudinal survey alongside a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Women's depression may affect partners who may also become depressed, affecting the mother's support and care for infants or children. Little is known about the health of postnatal men over time and their depression may not be recognised. Aim: To examine the self-perceived health status in women's partners at six, 12 and 18 months after their baby was born, comparing the health of men whose partner was at greater risk of postnatal depression, with those at less risk. Methods: 4084 women consented to take part in a cluster RCT and economic evaluation of training for health visitors to support postnatal women. When women were followed-up, a questionnaire was included for their partners to complete. Results: 2875 women and 2201 of the women's partners returned a 6-month postnatal questionnaire. There were statistically significant differences between the mean scores for the partners of women with an EPDS score >12 and those whose EPDS scores were 12. Conclusions: These findings indicate that in addition to assessing the mental health of postnatal women, attention should be paid to the potential impact on the mental health of postnatal men. Research should explore whether depression in one partner might help predict depression in the other partner.