研究:男性也會患產後抑鬱

Men are as likely as women to suffer from postnatal depression, a study shows.

One in ten fathers - the same ratio as mothers - were found to suffer before or after birth.

By the time their child reaches 12 weeks, as many as one in four are feeling down.

The symptoms observed in the American study are not thought to be hormonal - as they are in women - and are instead probably a response to the pressures of fatherhood.

These include the expense of having children, changed relationships with partners and fear of paternal responsibility.

In the early weeks, the lack of sleep and extra domestic chores also take their toll, say mental health experts.

The study put the overall rate of depression among new fathers at 10.4 per cent - double the estimated 4.8 per cent for all men in any 12-month period.

Around 8 per cent were affected in the 12 weeks before and after birth, according to the Eastern Virginia Medical School research.

The team, led by James Paulson, reviewed 43 studies involving 28,000 people. They found parents were more likely to be down if their partner was too.

It is estimated around one in ten women suffers postnatal depression, even if they have never had mental health problems. Without treatment the condition can last for months.

Although most women have a few days of 'baby blues' shortly after birth, postnatal depression can kick in up to six months later.

Dr Paulson said paternal depression was serious because it can have 'substantial emotional, behavioural and developmental effects on children'.

The study was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

一項研究顯示，男性和女性一樣會得產後抑鬱症。

研究發現，十分之一的男性在孩子出生前後會受到抑鬱症困擾，這一比例與女性相同。

在孩子滿12周時，多達四分之一的男性會出現情緒低落。

這一美國研究所發現的男性的這些症狀並非像女性那樣是由體內的荷爾蒙引起的，而可能是因爲初爲人父所帶來的一些壓力。

這些壓力包括養育孩子的費用、夫妻之間關係的變化以及對承擔父親責任所產生的恐懼。

心理健康專家說，在最初的幾周內，睡眠不足以及新增的家務活也會產生一定的影響。

研究發現，剛做父親的男性患抑鬱症的總體比例爲10.4%，爲一般羣體男性12個月中患抑鬱症比例的兩倍，後者的比例爲4.8%。

根據這項由東弗吉尼亞醫學院開展的研究，約8%的男性在孩子出生前後12週會出現抑鬱症狀。

由詹姆斯•保爾森領導的研究小組對涵蓋2.8萬人的43項研究進行了分析。他們發現，如果男女雙方有一方有抑鬱症狀，那麼另一方也會受到影響。

據估計，約十分之一的女性會患產後抑鬱症，即使她們之前沒有心理健康方面的問題。如果不進行治療，這種狀況會持續數月之久。

儘管大部分女性在產後的幾天可能會出現心情低落的狀況，但真正的產後抑鬱症可能會在六個月後發生。

保爾森博士說，男性的產後抑鬱應引起重視，因爲爸爸的情緒會“對孩子的情緒、行爲和發育會產生重要影響”。

該研究在《美國醫學會》雜誌上發表。

Vocabulary:

postnatal: happening after and relating to the birth of a baby 產後的；出生後的

take its/their toll: 產生惡果；造成傷害；產生負面影響

baby blues: a depressed feeling that some women get after the birth of a baby post-natal depression 產後抑鬱

kick in: to begin to take effect 開始生效（或見效）