Diplomacy And Paternity: Domestic And Political Policy Effecting Paternal Postpartum Depression Research And Treatment In The United States Thesis Example

There is a large body of legislation supporting, and a strong political interest in finding the cause of, and most effective treatment for, postpartum depression in new mothers. The American people, both as a culture and as a nation, have consistently rallied around women who struggle mentally and emotionally after the birth of a child, because people understand the physical and emotional strain she is under, and they expect the rise and fall of hormones in her system that most believe stand as the root cause of postpartum depression. Unfortunately, what the current culture fails to acknowledge is that her male partner, the child’s father, is going through many of the same physical, mental, and emotional trials as the new mother, and is susceptible to depression of their own. Experts are now calling this condition paternal postpartum depression, and increased funding and political treatment is needed to find an effective treatment to eliminate it from the family culture.
There is no shortage of legislative support for women who are supporting from postpartum depression. On the federal level, H.R. 20- 111th Congress, known as the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, provides for services for individuals with postpartum depression and perinatal psychosis. This bill provides funding for the protection of women’s mental health after the birth of a child only, and provides funding for grants and projects related to the delivery of essential services to women with postpartum mental health needs. (H.R. 20- 111th Congress). The bill also provides funding to help educate mothers and their families about PPD conditions (H.R. 20--111th Congress). This type of federal support for research, treatment, and patient education is aimed at, and has effectively impacted, reducing numbers of women with postpartum depression. Unfortunately, unless the bill is revised it does nothing to protect the rights, or ensure the wellbeing, of fathers suffering from the same symptoms of clinical depression. This shortage is not only visible at the federal level, but at the state level as well.
Legislation that address maternal postpartum depression at the state level is typically centered on providing specific programs for support. For example, New Jersey passed the New Jersey Postpartum Depression act, which required medical professionals providing postnatal care to new mothers to screen mothers for PPD symptoms before discharging them from care (C.26:2–176).
Massachusetts, however, took a step forward when passing An Act Relative to Postpartum Depression. This piece of legislature hoped to “develop a culture of awareness, de-stigmatization, and screening for perinatal depression,” providing increased testing and care for families coping with PPD (2010). However, because Massachusetts law is written to focus on the family, rather than on maternal care, it may more easily be adapted to assist fathers with postpartum depression than other state’s laws written to the same end.
The primary reason these laws focus on the needs of the mother in the postpartum period, is because Americans are culturally inclined to consider postpartum depression a purely feminine problem. In the US, it is well known that attention is focused on a mother’s health and wellbeing after birth which often makes the father feel not only excluded from the birthing events, but may prevent a barrier between him and the medical support he needs. More specifically, evidence suggest that fathers often feel both isolated and disconnected after the birth of a child. One study found that when Fathers were asked about their partners and the baby, fathers weren’t asked about how they were dealing with the transition to parenthood, and yet, men are statistically significantly less likely to seek help with the transition, because they view the need for assistance as a sign of weakness (Letourneau, 2012)
Similarly, maternal postpartum depression is routinely discussed and women suffering from the condition are typically offered support from society as a whole, while paternal postpartum depression is ignored completely, or worse, condemned. A number of cultural icons have discussed female postpartum depression. Brooke Shields and Gwyneth Paltrow, have both publicly described the effects of PPD on their own life (Fletcher, R., Matthey, & Marley 2006). But few, if any, male stars have discussed how they were personally affected by depression after the birth of a child. This is likely because mental illness and depression, especially in men, are taboo subjects in American culture, and men do not want that taboo to taint their career or public image (Fletcher, R., Matthey, & Marley, 2006).
This sense of taboo comes from a serious lack of understanding when it comes to depression in fathers. This is especially true when those fathers come from minority cultural backgrounds or non-middle class socioeconomic cultures (Fletcher, R., Matthey, & Marley. 2006). For example, it is known that African-Americans have an increased risk of postnatal depression, (Ward, Clark, & Heidrich, 2009). In fact an estimated 63% of African American’s believe that depression is a sign of personal weakness, and less than 31% would acknowledge that PPD is a legitimate health problem (Ward, Clark, & Heidrich, 2009). Mexican Americans reported very similar machismo values, which elevated depressive symptoms, while repressing treatment for depression (Roubinov, 2013). It is key that these male misconceptions be dealt with head on. Otherwise the men effected by PPPD cannot hope to get the help they truly need, and the misunderstanding of postpartum depression in America will never be eliminated.
Similarly, some religious cultures attach stigma to mental illnesses, including postpartum depression. For example, Orthodox Jews believe that the command in the Torrah to “be fruitful and multiply” demands that all parents find joy in their children, leaving many are fearful of revealing their depression as a sin (Loewenthal, 2006). Islamists have a kind of parallel beliefs that suggests mental illness occurs it is due to a lack of consideration to the spiritual aspect of life, so PPD means only that a person moved away from Allah, and must return to God in order to be made whole again. (Sabry & Vohra, 2013). As a result, Muslims are often reluctant to admit to a mental health issue, such as PPD, or to seek treatment (Sabry & Vohra, 2013). This refusal of treatment creates a major barrier in receiving treatment, and slows America’s ability to prevent, treat and illimate the disease from its national culture.
America is not, in fact, the only culture struggling with how to effectively address both the social and cultural barriers that prevent effective treatment of paternal postpartum depression. In fact, Canada, has no universal approach to track, prevent or treat postpartum depression, however individual provinces have put several policies in place which have greatly ameliorated the PPD in that country. For example, in Ontario, it is routine to provide no-cost care, and in home visits to help offer new parents support during the first year of their child’s life (Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services). Also, in Alberta, PPD screenings are performed on both parents in accordance with the child’s vaccination schedule (Health information standards committee for Alberta, 2009).
Another country struggling with PPD is Australia, but unlike other countries, Australia is not ignoring the male parental figure’s need for support. In Australia, it is expected that one in seven mothers, and one in ten fathers will experience postnatal depression (Burgess, 2011). In response, Australia has formed the Establishment of Dads in the Early Years program funded by the Department of Local Government and Communities, which holds play groups, and provides both home and group based support for all fathers. (Meerilinga agency information) The have also Establishment of Post & Antenatal Depression Association, which educates health care professionals about how to identify and treat postnatal anxiety and depression in members of both sexes, in order to protect the family unit (PANDA).
Finally, in Great Britain there is a spoken dedication to treating PPD, but a very weak delivery of preventative and treatment based solutions. Currently, however, paternal rights guarantees fathers two weeks of unpaid leave and freedom to attend up to two sonograms during the neonatal and postnatal periods of their child’s life. Also, every family with children under 5 has access to a health visitor who offers in home support (Donetto, et al. 2013). Unfortunately, neither of these political actions directly addresses the very real risks posed by and damages caused by PPD in families.
It is clear that not just the American culture, but the global culture, needs to shift its focus to include fathers in postnatal care initiatives and PPD treatment programs. This change really begins with acceptance. Today, most paternal figures actively decline medical services that would help prevent or treat their PPD, not because they do not suffer from the condition but because they are afraid of the taboo attached to the label. Further, fathers are largely excluded from the neonatal and immediately perinatal periods of a child’s life as all the focus is shifted to the care of the mother and infant as they struggle to both establish an intimate bond, and physically heal from delivery. Unfortunately, this often leaves the one-in-ten father who is emotionally and mentally struggling with postpartum concerns without the support he needs to overcome his depression. America needs to follow the lead of nations like Australia and create programs that place the father back inside the family unit, and provide for his bonding with the child, and his care as an individual. Only then can the American nation hope to see a decline in the number of cases of paternal postpartum depression in our America, and minimized the impact that postpartum depression has on children throughout their childhood.

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