An Evidence-Based Project to Improve Paternal Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Transitioning to a parental role can be overwhelming for both the mother and the father. Historically, most health care focus has been placed on the maternal transition and not much emphasis on the paternal transition. As a result, paternal postpartum depression (PPPD) has been underreported, underrecognized, underdiagnosed, and undertreated by health care practitioners. PPPD can have a devastating effect on the whole family. An evidence-based awareness project was implemented in a health care setting to determine whether the use of a prenatal multimodal educational intervention improved the detection of PPPD for fathers using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Fathers reported that multimodal education improved their detection of PPPD. It is imperative for advanced practice nurses to increase their awareness of PPPD and to actively seek opportunities to intervene with fathers during and after pregnancy.