研究:男性也会患产后抑郁

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.

一项研究显示，男性和女性一样会得产后抑郁症。

研究发现，十分之一的男性在孩子出生前后会受到抑郁症困扰，这一比例与女性相同。

在孩子满12周时，多达四分之一的男性会出现情绪低落。

这一美国研究所发现的男性的这些症状并非像女性那样是由体内的荷尔蒙引起的，而可能是因为初为人父所带来的一些压力。

这些压力包括养育孩子的费用、夫妻之间关系的变化以及对承担父亲责任所产生的恐惧。

心理健康专家说，在最初的几周内，睡眠不足以及新增的家务活也会产生一定的影响。

研究发现，刚做父亲的男性患抑郁症的总体比例为10.4%，为一般群体男性12个月中患抑郁症比例的两倍，后者的比例为4.8%。

根据这项由东弗吉尼亚医学院开展的研究，约8%的男性在孩子出生前后12周会出现抑郁症状。

由詹姆斯．保尔森领导的研究小组对涵盖2.8万人的43项研究进行了分析。他们发现，如果男女双方有一方有抑郁症状，那么另一方也会受到影响。

据估计，约十分之一的女性会患产后抑郁症，即使她们之前没有心理健康方面的问题。如果不进行治疗，这种状况会持续数月之久。

尽管大部分女性在产后的几天可能会出现心情低落的状况，但真正的产后抑郁症可能会在六个月后发生。

保尔森博士说，男性的产后抑郁应引起重视，因为爸爸的情绪会“对孩子的情绪、行为和发育会产生重要影响”。

该研究在《美国医学会》杂志上发表。

Vocabulary:

postnatal: happening after and relating to the birth of a baby 产后的；出生后的

take its/their toll: 产生恶果；造成伤害；产生负面影响

baby blues: a depressed feeling that some women get after the birth of a baby post-natal depression 产后抑郁

kick in: to begin to take effect 开始生效（或见效）