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Prospective associations between prenatal adversities and borderline personality disorder at 11-12 years

C Winsper1, D Wolke2, T Lereya3

  • 1Division of Mental Health and Wellbeing,Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick,Coventry,UK.

Psychological Medicine
|August 30, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal maternal anxiety and depression are linked to borderline personality disorder (BPD) in children. This prospective study highlights the importance of reducing maternal stress during pregnancy for BPD prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Perinatal Mental Health

Background:

  • Borderline personality disorder (BPD) etiology is not fully understood.
  • Prenatal adversity is a suspected early risk factor for BPD.
  • Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this link.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal risk factors and the development of BPD.
  • To examine the impact of maternal anxiety and depression during pregnancy on childhood BPD.
  • To provide prospective evidence for early BPD risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • A community sample of 6050 mother-child pairs was followed prospectively.
  • Maternal prenatal anxiety, depression, alcohol, and tobacco use were assessed.
  • Childhood BPD symptoms were assessed at 11-12 years by trained psychologists.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal maternal anxiety and depression at 18 and 32 weeks gestation were significantly associated with childhood BPD.
  • These associations remained significant after adjusting for various postnatal and child factors.
  • Odds ratios indicated a 1.57-1.59 increased risk for BPD with prenatal anxiety/depression.

Conclusions:

  • This study offers prospective evidence linking prenatal adversities to BPD.
  • Prenatal anxiety and depression appear to have direct effects on BPD development.
  • Interventions aimed at reducing maternal stress during pregnancy are crucial for BPD prevention.
Abstract

Keywords:
prenatal tobacco exposure

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