| Many fathers get depressed after having children One in five men suffer from depression by the time their child is 12, according to a Medical Research Council studyOne in five men become depressed after becoming fathers as they juggle lack of sleep, extra responsibilities and a changed relationship with their partners, new research shows.By the time their first child is 12, 21% of fathers have had at least one episode of depression, according to an in-depth study funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).The findings provide strong evidence that postnatal depression affects significant numbers of men as well as women, and last night prompted calls for fathers-to-be to have their mental state assessed by the NHS in the same way as expectant mothers during their pregnancy. There are worries that problems with a parent's wellbeing can damage their children's behaviour and development.Research scientists led by Professor Irwin Nazareth, director of the MRC's general practice research framework, studied 86,957 families who received medical care between 1993 and 2007. They identified depression among parents by analysing diagnoses of the condition and antidepressant prescriptions.Some 3% of fathers had had depression in the first year of their child's life, rising to 10% by the time their offspring was four, 16% by the age of eight and 21% by 12, it was found.The study also underlined how postnatal depression among mothers is much more common. Of those studied, 13% had been depressed within a year of giving birth, 24% by the time their child reached four, 33% by eight and 39% by the age of 12.The researchers say the stresses of having a child trigger the depression – such as too little sleep, changed responsibilities and extra pressures being placed on the parents' relationship.Professor Steve Field, leader of the UK's 44,000 family doctors, said: "This is the best piece of research I've seen on this important but under-appreciated area of medical care. As a GP, I have often seen fathers stressed and depressed, particularly in the first year or two after becoming a parent."Men who are adapting to the new duty of parenthood while continuing in their job are under stress, and many do not go to see their GP to talk about any fears and worries they may have, added Field, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs."This should raise awareness of the stresses and potential problems ahead for dads and dads-to-be and also encourage GPs to screen men, if appropriate. This study should help improve the quality of dads' lives and ensure that talking therapies or other treatments, if needed, are used early."Rob Williams, chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, said: "For too long there's been the assumption that it's depression and other mental health problems in mothers that has an impact on children. But in reality, the impact of a father's poor mental health on his children is also powerful."The study is likely to have underestimated the numbers of fathers who experience depression, because we know fathers are less likely than mothers to seek help with depression."Both GPs and health visitors should screen fathers as well as mothers for depression, especially when the woman is depressed, as their partners are more likely to feel the same, Williams added."We are missing a golden opportunity to forewarn new parents of the challenges they might face once their baby arrives. Parents need to be told about the risks of depression for both mothers and fathers and they should also be told about the signs which they should be looking out for in their partner."Postnatal depressionHealthMedical researchDenis Campbellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Natural gas may have jump-started oil eating bugs By 2010-09-16T18:03:39ZWASHINGTON (AP) -- Those oil-eating bacteria that suddenly flourished in the Gulf of Mexico following the oil spill may have gotten a jump start from natural gas, scientists say.... hosted.ap.org |
Birth Pangs Annie Murphy Paul’s balanced, common-sense study of the emerging field of fetal origins research is structured around her own pregnancy. feeds.nytimes.com |
Malaysia to use lab mosquitoes to fight dengue By 2010-10-11T10:00:39ZPUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia could be the first country in Asia to use genetically modified mosquitoes to battle a rise in dengue fever, government authorities said Monday.... hosted.ap.org |
Prehistoric creatures discovered in huge Indian amber haul Fossil hunters find 150kg of amber in Gujarat province containing over 700 arthropod specimensHundreds of prehistoric insects and other creatures have been discovered in a large haul of amber excavated from a coalmine in western India. An international team of fossil hunters recovered 150kg of the dirty brown resin from Cambay Shale in Gujarat province, making it one of the largest amber collections on record. The tiny animals became entombed in the fossilised tree resin some 52m years ago, before the Indian subcontinent crunched into Asia to produce the Himalayan mountain range.Jes Rust, a paleontologist at Bonn University, said the creatures, including ancient bees, spiders, termites, gnats, ants and flies, were in remarkably good condition considering their age. In total, the team has identified more than 700 arthropods, a group of animals that includes insects, crustaceans and arachnids."They are so well preserved. It's like having the complete dinosaur, not just the bones. You can see all the surface details on their bodies and wings. It's fantastic," Rust told the Guardian. The remains of two praying mantises were also found.Insects and other small animals may be trapped in resin flowing down tree bark, or as it covers their dead bodies on the forest floor. Over time, the resin hardens into a translucent yellow material that preserves them.The amber is the oldest evidence scientists have of tropical forests in Asia. Tests linked the amber to a family of hardwood trees called dipterocarpaceae, that make up 80% of the forest canopy in south-east Asia. Fossilised wood from these trees was found alongside the amber deposits. Rust said that much of India may have been covered in forests at the time the amber formed.The trapped insects give a revealing snapshot of life in India before it collided with Asia. India was once attached to Africa but separated some 160m years ago. For the next 100m years, India's landmass moved towards Asia at around 20cm a year.India was isolated for so long that it could have evolved unique flora and fauna, but the encased insects suggest this did not happen. Writing in the US journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describe life forms in the amber closely related to those in Asia and Europe. As India moved towards Asia, the encroaching continental plates may have created an arc of islands that connected the two landmasses like stepping stones long before 50m years ago, said Rust. This would allow species from India, Asia and Europe to mix."We think that, before the final collision between India and Asia, some sort of island arc was established. Our findings suggest that the mixing of fauna was already so strong, that it was already happening for several million years," said Rust. Once species from India had crossed into Asia, they could have spread further, eventually reaching Australia.Michael Engel, curator of entomology at the University of Kansas, said: "What we found indicates that India was not completely isolated, even though the Cambray deposit dates from a time that precedes the slamming of India into Asia. There might have been some linkages."The team has so far recorded 100 different arthropod species, but Rust said they expect to find more, some of which are likely to be close relatives of animals in Africa and Madagascar.FossilsEvolutionIndiaGeologyBiologyIan Sampleguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |