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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
06:39
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
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Maternal anxiety disorders predict excessive infant crying: a prospective longitudinal study
Johanna Petzoldt1, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen1, Julia Wittich1
1Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|June 29, 2014
Summary
Maternal anxiety disorders, both before and during pregnancy, significantly increase the risk of excessive infant crying. Early identification of maternal anxiety is crucial for supporting at-risk mother-infant dyads.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Infant behavioral development
- Psychiatric epidemiology
Background:
- Maternal mental health significantly influences infant well-being.
- Anxiety and depressive disorders are common in pregnant women.
- Excessive infant crying is a common parental concern with potential negative impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively investigate the association between maternal anxiety and depressive disorders (DSM-IV-TR) and excessive infant crying.
- To identify specific maternal mental health conditions that predict excessive infant crying.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal study of 306 expectant mothers enrolled in early pregnancy.
- Maternal anxiety and depressive disorders assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Women.
- Excessive infant crying defined as crying ≥3 hours/day, ≥3 days/week, ≥3 weeks, assessed via Baby-DIPS.
Main Results:
- Maternal anxiety disorders prior to pregnancy were associated with a 2.54-fold increased risk of excessive infant crying.
- This risk increased with incident anxiety disorders diagnosed during pregnancy and up to 16 months postpartum (ORs 3.02 and 2.87, respectively).
- Maternal depressive disorders were not significantly associated with excessive infant crying in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Maternal anxiety disorders, both lifetime and incident, are robust predictors of excessive infant crying.
- Early identification and monitoring of maternal anxiety are essential for identifying at-risk mother-infant dyads.
- This highlights the importance of integrating mental health screening into perinatal care.
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