A Comparison of Postpartum Depression between Fathers and Mothers in Saqqez

Post-natal depression is a mood problem that has adverse effects on parents, leading to impaired cognitive development and poor communication between parents-child. The purpose of this study was to assess postpartum depression in young mothers and fathers. this descriptive-analytical study was performed with convenience sampling on 150youngmothers and fathers who were referred to Saqqez health centers, Sanandaj, Iran in 2013. Data was collected with demographic information form and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Data were analyzed by PASW statistical software using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, Fisher's exact test, chi-square, independent t- test. P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. the results showed that 27 fathers (36%) and 37 mothers (49.3%) had symptoms of postpartum depression and two groups of depressed parents are not significant different. There was an association between depression and employment (p=0.003), so that all unemployed fathers were depressed (p=0.04) and all employed mothers (p=0.001) have not depressive symptoms. There was no relationship between depression and education. Given the high prevalence of postpartum depression in young fathers, holding training classes, emphasizing the issue of postpartum depression and management of this critical stage in fathers seems to be necessary.