A recent study published in the prestigious American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that depression is linked to lower chances of having children in both men and women. Drawing on unique data from the Finnish registry, this study with more than 1.4 million participants examined the associations between diagnosed depression and the likelihood of having children, number of children, and age at first childbirth for all men and women. born in Finland between 1960 and 1960. 1980. (Also read: World Mental Health Day 2022: from diabetes to arthritis; 5 Chronic Illnesses That Can Lead To Depression)
“One of the main results was that depression was associated with a lower likelihood of having children and fewer children among men and women. Depression was also associated with a slightly lower age at first childbirth,” says the lead researcher. Kateryna Golovina of the Helsinki College for Advanced Study.
Men with even mild depression are less likely to have children.
Men diagnosed with depression were 33% less likely to have a child compared to men without depression; women diagnosed with depression were 15% less likely to have a child than women without depression.
An important observation was that the severity of depression was associated with the likelihood of having children: for men, even mild depression was associated with a lower likelihood of having children, while for women the link was found only for depression. severe.
Socioeconomic differences in the association between depression and the probability of having children.
The study also examined whether there were educational differences in the association between depression and the likelihood of having children.
“Among men and women with secondary and higher education, depression was associated with a lower likelihood of having children and having fewer children. As for the participants with basic education, no associations were observed for men, while for women depression was associated with a higher probability of having children,” says Kateryna Golovina.
Early prevention and timely treatment of depression are crucial
The findings have clinical implications, suggesting that depression is one of the factors that contribute to the probability of having children, so early prevention and timely treatment of depression are crucial. For example, early detection of depression can be implemented by increasing the availability of mental health professionals or can be performed by obstetrician-gynecologists and women’s health providers. For men, the severity of the depression should be considered, as milder depression may have more negative health and behavioral effects than women.
“Overall, our results provide another motivation to provide youth-friendly mental health services and implement low-threshold interventions and therapies,” says Professor Marko Elovainio of the School of Medicine.
The study was carried out in collaboration between the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Institute of Health and Well-being. The Helsinki Collegium provided funding for Advanced Studies, the University of Helsinki, and the Academy of Finland.
Follow more stories on Facebook & Twitter
This story is published from a news agency source with no text changes. Only the title has been changed.
.
