Addressing depression and anxiety among new fathers

Fathers may be unintentionally marginalised by perinatal health services and by the maternal focus of social practices surrounding new babies. There is increasing recognition that a father’s depression and anxiety in the perinatal period can have serious consequences for his family. Health services could better support new fathers by providing them with information on parenting from a father’s perspective, or by running father-specific sessions as part of routine antenatal care programs.