New fathers who took unpaid paternity leave were 58% more likely to report anxiety symptoms than those with paid leave, according to a June 2026 Northwestern University study of 4,290 fathers. The finding adds hard numbers to something a lot of new dads already feel in their gut — the system isn't exactly set up for you.
The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, analyzed data from the Ohio Fatherhood Survey (2022–2023), one of the most detailed population-level datasets on fathers' perinatal experience in the US. The lead author, Dr. Craig Garfield — professor of pediatrics at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine — found that 6.6% of new fathers in the sample had depression and 11% had anxiety. But those numbers jumped sharply for dads who couldn't take paid time off.
The mechanics aren't complicated. Unpaid leave means financial stress stacked directly on top of newborn chaos, sleep deprivation, and a relationship that's quietly changing shape. It's not a mental health problem — it's an impossible math problem dressed as one.
What's worth noting: this isn't just about access to leave. It's about whether being present for those first weeks is something you can afford to do without the anxiety of watching your bank account.
Source: Garfield et al., American Journal of Public Health, June 2026
Keep readingLonely as a new dad? Why it happens and what helps · Dead bedroom after a baby: how to fix it without pressure · How relationships work — the crisis map
Co-founder of Regular. Writes about relationships, parenthood, and the science of how couples stay close after a baby.
About Regular — the relationship app for new dads, built by a small team of parents who needed it themselves. Small, science-backed moves with your partner, not big talks.