How can managers support parental mental health
The journey to parenthood is a significant milestone but can be accompanied by a complex range of emotions from joy and anticipation to anxiety, depression and self-doubt.
Up to one in five women may encounter mental health challenges during or following pregnancy, with depression and anxiety being the most common.
Charlotte Gentry from the IVFN says, “These feelings are often unexpected, and can be extremely challenging, but they are not unusual.”
Addressing the stigma
Factors that may contribute to these mental health challenges include complications during pregnancy, concerns about shifts in personal and professional relationships, apprehension about potential issues with the pregnancy, the fear of childbirth, and doubts regarding one's ability to parent effectively.
However, Louise Howard, Professor in Women's Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London sees this period as an opportunity to improve women’s long-term mental health.
Howard said: “Pregnancy is a time when women are in contact with many health professionals making it an ideal window of opportunity to identify and treat mental health problems.”
Gentry added: “Addressing these issues is important as there does appear to be some truth to the old wives’ tale that psychological factors impact pregnancy rates as positivity and a calm persona help to determine the health of the baby.”
Mental health challenges for men
Infertility has also been linked to significant mental health challenges for men. Research indicates that nearly one in five men (19%) may suffer from anxiety, while depression affects approximately 17% in these circumstances. Additionally, about 10% of men may encounter anxiety or depression during their partner's pregnancy or after childbirth. However, it is common for men to hesitate in expressing their emotions or in seeking professional assistance.
Gentry said: “It is important to acknowledge that men can also experience poor mental health at this time. During pregnancy, men have even less control of the outcome so often they feel like a passenger on the journey.
“Many question the validity of their feelings, or want to prioritise the needs of their partner, so these mental health issues often go undiagnosed. Men are also less likely to express how they feel so keep their emotions bottled up which isn’t healthy.
“There is also evidence that perinatal depression and anxiety in fathers can negatively impact memory and performance at work,” she added.
Business and family-friendly policies
Forward-thinking organisations are already embedding family-friendly policies. Google has recently enhanced benefits for UK employees and provides funded IVF, elective egg freezing and support for adoption and surrogacy, because “there are many ways to have a family.”
And it makes sound business sense. The UNICEF report, Business and Family-Friendly Policies, points out, “Many businesses are recognising that family-friendly policies can contribute to achieving gender equality and thus business profits, by enhancing the recruitment and retention of female employees.”
“Over this period, employees may need time off or more flexible hours and benefit from being able to access wellness and mental health support,” said Gentry. “Having systems and policies in place to accommodate colleagues sends a clear signal that they are valued.”
The report confirms “There is increasing evidence that workers seek greater work-life balance.” And adds, “For businesses competing for talent, offering better work-life balance and family-friendly policies can enhance competitiveness to attract labour.”
Gentry added: “Family-friendly policies can also reinforce company values around diversity, inclusion and sustainability, which are increasingly important for both employees and customers.”
To achieve this, UNICEF’s advice to businesses is to:
- Implement a comprehensive approach to family-friendly policies.
- Develop robust monitoring systems to ensure policies are effective and contribute to the wellbeing of working parents and their children.
- Champion family-friendly policies across industry standards and through supply chains.
Our latest Health Horizons event on family and fertility explored how families, and the needs of parents, are changing – and what this means for business. You can re-watch our virtual event and download supporting materials by visiting Health Horizons.
In partnership with Bupa
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