Study Calls Mental Illness in Fathers Can Increase the Chances of Premature Babies

Illustration (Juan Goncalves/Pexels)

JAKARTA - The physical and mental health of the mother plays an important role in supporting the welfare of the future baby. However, a recent study revealed that premature birth is not only affected by the mental health of the mother. Father also took part in this.

A study published in the journal PLOS Medicine shows that fetuses of fathers with mental health disorders have an increased risk of being born prematurely. According to WHO, in 2020 there are around 13.4 million babies born prematurely. Factors such as multiple pregnancies, infections, genetic influences and chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure lead to preterm birth.

"Premature birth has disastrous health consequences for the baby. Women who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder are at increased risk of preterm delivery. The same is true if the father or both parents are diagnosed with a mental illness," researchers from the Karolinska Institute said in a news release, reported by Medical Daily, Tuesday, August 15.

The team evaluated all babies born to Nordic parents in Sweden from 1997 to 2016 and collected information on psychiatric diagnoses. There were 1.5 million births, 15 percent of which were born to parents with a diagnosed mental health problem.

Researchers found that there were 5.8 percent of babies born prematurely to mentally healthy parents. Meanwhile, around 6.3 percent of premature babies were born to fathers who had mental disorders, and 7.3 percent to mothers with psychological disorders. Meanwhile, premature babies born to both parents with mental disorders were 8.3 percent.

Meanwhile, a diagnosis of stress-related psychological disorders in parents is associated with the highest risk of preterm birth, 23 percent when the father has a stress disorder and 47 percent in the mother. Meanwhile, 90 percent of premature births occur if both parents experience stress.

The likelihood of premature birth is also higher in babies whose parents have multiple mental health problems.

"Children of parents with mental illness are at higher risk of being born too early. Both the mental health of both the father and the mother are equally important," said Weiyao Yin, the researcher who led the study.