Dads are susceptible to postpartum depression just as mothers are, new research from the University of Illinois Chicago has found.

“A lot of dads are stressed. They’re scared. They’re struggling with balancing work and parental and partner responsibilities,” lead author Dr. Sam Wainwright said.

“A woman at risk for postpartum depression is much more likely to get postpartum depression if she has a depressed partner,” he added.  

Researchers — with permission of mothers — examined 24 fathers and found around seven of them “screened positive” for mental illness. Overall, it impacts 15% of people according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“Other studies have estimated that 8% to 13% of new fathers have postpartum depression,” a release from the university noted. 

Wainwright said he was especially moved when mothers would undergo care at a clinic and would overhear fathers making comments like, “I’m really stressed, but I don’t want my partner to know because I’m here to support her.”

He began speaking with fathers in waiting rooms while also checking them for conditions such as high blood pressure.

“The overarching goal of this line of research is to better understand how to help men stay healthy so that their relationships and families are healthy, too,” the release added.

Wainwright doubled down on this, saying that “men are often not doing well, but no one is asking them about it.”  

Fathers, like radio personality Jack Post, have personally attested to these feelings and the stigma around them.

“It felt like I did 10/10 job of being a husband right up to the birth and then something changed after he was born, and it was really strange,” he said last year. “I felt guilt and shame for bringing this little guy into the world who I am meant to love so much, and I couldn’t feel that for him.”