The Impact of Unplanned Fatherhood on the Mental Well-being of New Dads

A recent scientific study illuminates an important aspect of fatherhood that often goes unnoticed – the impact of unintended pregnancies on the mental well-being of men. The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, reveals that men who go through unintended births may be at a significantly higher risk of encountering mental health challenges in the time after their partner gives birth.

The authors of the new study were motivated by a desire to comprehend how unintended pregnancies might influence the mental health of men during the crucial early years of parenthood. An unintended pregnancy is one that was not planned or expected, and it can lead to various emotional reactions and difficulties for both partners.

"My first published research paper was an exploration of men's choices to remain childless," explained study author Imogene Smith, a lecturer and psychologist at The Cairnmillar Institute. "Based on these findings, I realized that some men who desired to remain childless would, statistically speaking, ultimately become fathers. Approximately half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended, so this is an issue that affects a large number of individuals."

Previous research had investigated the connection between maternal mental health and unintended pregnancies, but the impact on fathers has received less attention. This study aimed to bridge that knowledge gap and provide a comprehensive analysis of how men's reproductive intentions, or lack thereof, might impact their mental well-being.

"When we think of postnatal depression, people typically only think about mothers," Smith stated. "There is now a growing body of research that has robustly demonstrated that men are also susceptible to negative mental health outcomes during this vulnerable period. Partners can develop symptoms during the pregnancy, known as antenatal depression or antenatal anxiety, or they can develop symptoms after the baby is born, referred to as postnatal depression or anxiety. As a researcher, I wanted to investigate if an unintended pregnancy was a risk factor for any poor mental health outcomes for fathers."

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, a statistical technique used in research to combine and analyze the results from multiple individual studies. By pooling data from several studies, meta-analyses can provide more statistical power to identify true effects, even when individual studies might not have been large enough to do so.

This involved searching multiple databases for relevant studies published in the English language. Smith and her colleagues included studies that examined the relationship between men's desire to have a child and their experiences of mental health issues during the time after their partner gave birth, up to when the child reached 36 months.

In total, the researchers reviewed 23 different studies that encompassed over 8,000 fathers. These studies originated from various countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, Canada, and more, representing different cultural and economic backgrounds.

One of the key findings of this research was that fathers who went through unintended pregnancies were more than twice as likely to encounter mental health challenges compared to those who had planned pregnancies. This mental strain could manifest as depression, anxiety, stress, and even Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Depression, in particular, stood out as a significant issue for new fathers in these circumstances. Smith and her colleagues discovered that the likelihood of paternal postpartum depression was more than two times higher for men who reported unintended births compared to those who had intended pregnancies. This effect was even stronger than similar associations found in studies involving new mothers.

The timing of the assessments also played a role. Fathers who experienced unintended pregnancies continued to face mental health challenges not only in the immediate period after the birth but also up to a year afterward. This suggests that the emotional difficulties of an unplanned pregnancy can have long-lasting effects.

“The systematic review and meta-analysis included every document globally that reported findings on fathers who noted that the pregnancy was unintended from their perspective and then shared information about their psychological well-being,” Smith informed PsyPost. “For the majority of these psychological outcomes, there were insufficient studies to combine the findings. However, when we aggregated all the psychological results into one comprehensive analysis, it became evident that unintended pregnancies double the chances of negative psychological outcomes for fathers. We also discovered that unintended fatherhood is linked to a twofold increase in the chances of experiencing depression. This implies that fathers who did not plan to have a child are at a higher risk of developing postnatal depression.”

Surprisingly, the research did not uncover a significant association between unintended pregnancies and anxiety or stress in men, but this may be attributed to the limited data available on these dimensions. Only a few studies examined anxiety and stress in fathers within the context of unplanned pregnancies.

The impact of unintended pregnancies on paternal psychological well-being appeared to differ depending on the economic status of the country. In countries with lower and middle incomes, the effects on fathers’ mental health were more evident in comparison to high-income countries. This indicates that economic and social factors could have a role in how men respond to unplanned parenthood.

The researchers also found that whether a man was becoming a father for the first time or already had children did not seem to make a substantial difference in terms of how unintended pregnancies affected their mental well-being. This suggests that the emotional impact of unintended fatherhood is not related to experience but rather the unexpected nature of the event.

“It was interesting that both first-time fathers and fathers with multiple children were equally susceptible to depression when the current pregnancy or baby was unplanned,” Smith stated.

While this study offers valuable insights into the relationship between unintended pregnancies and paternal mental health, it is important to acknowledge its limitations. For instance, the measurement of reproductive intentions may have lacked consistency across all studies, and greater standardization is required. Longitudinal studies that track fathers’ mental health over an extended period could provide a deeper understanding of how these issues evolve.

In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of considering men’s psychological well-being in the context of unintended pregnancies during early parenthood. The findings highlight the need for increased awareness and support for fathers who may be grappling with the emotional challenges associated with unintended fatherhood.

“For health and mental health professionals, we need an inclusive approach to parenthood,” Smith commented. “Unplanned pregnancies are very common, and feeling uncertain about parenthood is valid. It is essential to normalize and validate men’s uncertainty during this vulnerable period. Screening fathers and partners for adverse mental health outcomes should be an integral part of any service they engage with.”

“In our daily lives, it might be beneficial to remember that not everyone desires to have children, and we cannot assume that every individual will be excited about being pregnant. If you know a new father or partner, check in on them; they may be dealing with difficulties.”

The study, “Associations between unintended fatherhood and paternal mental health problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis“, was authored by Imogene Smith, Gypsy O’Dea, David Hilton Demmer, George Youssef, Georgia Craigie, Lauren M. Francis, Laetitia Coles, Levita D’Souza, Kat Cain, Tess Knight, Craig A. Olsson, and Jacqui A. Macdonald.