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The association between maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and offspring sleep problems in adolescence

A K Taylor1, E Netsi2, H O'Mahen3

  • 1Centre for Child and Adolescent Health,School of Social and Community Medicine,University of Bristol,Oakfield House,Oakfield Grove,Bristol BS8 2BN,UK.

Psychological Medicine
|October 21, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Maternal postnatal depression (PND) significantly increases the risk of adolescent sleep problems in offspring. Early screening and interventions for mothers with PND are recommended to mitigate these risks.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Child and Adolescent Health
  • Mental Health

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are linked to adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
  • Identifying risk factors for sleep problems is crucial for public health.
  • Maternal mental health during the postnatal period may impact offspring development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal postnatal depression (PND) and sleep problems in offspring during adolescence.
  • To quantify the risk of adolescent sleep issues linked to maternal PND.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).
  • Analyzed a sample of 9633 participants with complete data.
  • Conducted sensitivity analysis with imputation for missing data.

Main Results:

  • Maternal PND was significantly associated with increased odds of sleep problems in offspring at ages 16 and 18 years.
  • The strongest association was observed for sleep problems at age 18 (OR 1.26) and frequent waking (OR 1.14).
  • These associations persisted after controlling for antenatal depression and infant sleep patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal postnatal depression is a risk factor for adolescent sleep problems in offspring.
  • Interventions targeting mothers with PND should consider the heightened risk of sleep disturbances in their children.
  • Implementing early sleep screening and interventions for children of mothers with PND is warranted.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdolescenceAvon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Childrenmaternal depressionsleep

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