New Dads Seem Fine at First Then Depression Spikes a Year Later

Fatherhood’s mental health toll may hit later than expected—spiking a full year after the baby arrives.

Fathers in Sweden are less likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis during their partner’s pregnancy and in the first months after their child is born. But that pattern does not last. A new study published in JAMA Network Open shows that diagnoses of depression and stress-related conditions increase about a year later. The research was conducted by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Sichuan University in China.

“The transition to fatherhood often involves both positive experiences and a range of new stresses,” says Jing Zhou, PhD student at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and co-first author of the paper. “Many cherish the intimate moments with their child, whilst at the same time the relationship with their partner may be affected and sleep quality may deteriorate, which can contribute to an increased risk of mental ill-health.”

Study of Over 1 Million Fathers Tracks Mental Health Trends

The analysis included more than one million fathers whose children were born in Sweden between 2003 and 2021. Researchers used linked national registry data to monitor how often men received new psychiatric diagnoses, starting one year before pregnancy and continuing through the child’s first year of life.

Depression and Stress Disorders Rise After One Year

The findings show that psychiatric diagnoses became less common during pregnancy and in the early months after birth compared with the year before. By one year after birth, diagnoses of anxiety and substance-related conditions had returned to pre-pregnancy levels. However, depression and stress-related disorders followed a different pattern. These conditions increased by more than 30 percent compared with rates before pregnancy.

“The delayed increase in depression was unexpected and underscores the need to pay attention to warning signs of mental ill-health in fathers long after the birth of their child,” says Donghao Lu, senior lecturer and associate professor at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and the paper’s corresponding author.

Why Timing Matters for Supporting Fathers

The researchers note that the study relies on clinical diagnoses, meaning some cases may not have been captured if individuals did not seek care. Even so, the results highlight when fathers may be most vulnerable during the transition to parenthood.

“By identifying periods of increased vulnerability, healthcare providers and other stakeholders can more easily offer support,” says Jing Zhou. “Postnatal depression is often discussed for new mothers, but fathers’ well-being is also important, both for themselves and for the whole family.”

Reference: “Psychiatric Disorders Among Fathers in Sweden Before, During, and After Partner Pregnancy” by Nanyan Xiang, Jing Zhou, Yifei Lin, Yihui Yang, Miriam Martini, Bowen Tang, Yufeng Chen, Fotios C. Papadopoulos, Emma Fransson, Alkistis Skalkidou, Jin Huang and Donghao Lu, 23 March 2026, JAMA Network Open.
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.2725

The study was carried out in collaboration with Sichuan University in China and Uppsala University in Sweden. Funding came from Karolinska Institutet’s strategic research area in epidemiology and biostatistics, the Swedish Research Council, and the European Research Council. The researchers report no conflicts of interest.

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