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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
Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with moderate to severe depression in 11-year-old children
Rebecca F Slykerman1, John Thompson, Karen Waldie
1Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
Insights
Maternal stress during pregnancy increases depression risk in children. This risk is higher for children born small-for-gestational-age (SGA), particularly when combined with prenatal stress.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Maternal Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy is linked to adverse child outcomes.
- Understanding risk factors for childhood depression is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate risk factors for depression symptoms in 11-year-old children.
- To examine the interaction between birth weight (specifically small-for-gestational-age) and maternal stress on child depression.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 609 children from birth to age 11.
- Data collection included maternal, obstetric, and demographic information.
- Intelligence testing, behavioral assessments, and depression screening (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children) were used.
Main Results:
- Increased maternal stress during pregnancy, young maternal age, lower IQ at age 7, and bullying were associated with depression symptoms.
- A significant interaction was found between maternal stress and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) status for depression risk.
Conclusions:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy is a significant risk factor for childhood depression.
- Children born SGA are particularly vulnerable to the effects of maternal stress on depression risk.
Aim:
Maternal stress during pregnancy has been associated with negative outcomes in children. We examined the risk factors for symptoms of depression in 11-year-old children, including the interaction between birthweight and other variables.
Methods:
We collected maternal, obstetric and demographic information from birth through to the age of 11. Approximately, half of the 609 children were born small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Information collected at 3.5 and 7 years of age included intelligence testing and parent-reported behavioural and emotional development. At 11 years of age, the children completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children. Multivariable logistic regression analysis examined the relationship between self-reported symptoms of moderate to severe depression at the age of 11 and explanatory variables.
Results:
Symptoms of moderate to severe depression were related to increasing maternal stress during pregnancy, young maternal age, lower intelligence test scores at 7-years-old and being bullied at school in the previous 6 months. There was also a significant interaction between maternal stress in pregnancy and symptoms of depression in 11-year-old children born SGA.
Conclusion:
Increasing maternal stress during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of symptoms of moderate to severe depression in 11-year-old children, especially those who were born SGA.
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