Prenatal paternal depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden in different risk samples: an explorative study
Open accessAbstract
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.
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Approximately 12-25% of fathers report antepartum anxiety symptoms, and around 18% experience postpartum anxiety.
“Approximately 12–25% of fathers report antepartum anxiety symptoms [17,18], and around 18% experience postpartum anxiety [19].”
From Fathers at risk: Effects of threatened and actual preterm birth on the course of paternal peripartum depression and anxiety (2026) · cites this paper as [18]
Only the antepartum estimate is attributed to this paper; the postpartum estimate has a separate citation [19]. The Introduction reports a prenatal anxiety-disorder prevalence range of 4.1–16%, and the Discussion reports 12.2% clinically significant anxiety in fathers whose partners were hospitalized. These support the lower end of the claimed 12–25% range, but not its 25% upper end. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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- Authors
- Zacher, M., Wollanka, N., Sauer, C., Haßtenteufel, K., Wallwiener, S., Wallwiener, M., & Maatouk, I.
- Affiliations
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University of Würzburg (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Maatouk, Imad
- Venue
- Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
- Published
- 2022-05-24
- Volume
- 307
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 1255-1263
- ISSN
- 0003-9128 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0711
- PMC
- PMC10023642
- OpenAlex
- W4281391113
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2
- FWCI
- 1.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Online Publication Service of Würzburg University (Würzburg University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Medizinischen Fakultät Heidelberg, Universität Heidelberg
- Universitätsklinikum Würzburg
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Keywords
- paternal depression, paternal anxiety, somatic symptom burden, expectant fathers, prenatal risk, transition to parenthood
- MeSH terms
- Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Fathers, Female, Humans, Male, Pregnancy
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