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Published on: June 13, 2021
Maternal stress and depression are associated with respiratory phenotypes in urban children
Sima K Ramratnam1, Alexandre Lockhart2, Cynthia M Visness2
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wis.
Insights
Maternal stress and depression in early life are linked to recurrent wheezing and respiratory illnesses in urban children. Treating maternal mental health may reduce childhood respiratory issues and asthma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Environmental Health
- Maternal Mental Health
Background:
- Prenatal and early-life exposure to maternal stress and depression are associated with recurrent wheezing in young children.
- Understanding these associations is crucial for identifying at-risk populations and developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between maternal stress and depression in early life and nonatopic wheezing phenotypes in urban children.
- To examine the relationship between maternal mental health during pregnancy and early childhood and respiratory health outcomes in high-risk urban children.
Main Methods:
- The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma Study analyzed a birth cohort of high-risk children in low-income urban neighborhoods.
- Maternal stress and depression scores (prenatal through age 3) were compared with respiratory phenotypes (through age 10), self-reported colds, and respiratory virus detection.
- Statistical analyses included multinomial regression, linear regression, and Poisson regression.
Main Results:
- Maternal depression scores, and to a lesser extent perceived stress, were positively associated with multiple wheezing phenotypes.
- Cumulative maternal depression in the first three years was linked to a moderate-wheeze-low-atopy phenotype (OR, 1.13; P < .01).
- Early-life maternal stress and depression scores correlated with increased wheezing illnesses and respiratory infections but showed no consistent link with lung function or allergic sensitization.
Conclusions:
- Maternal stress and depression in early life are associated with respiratory illnesses and a specific wheezing phenotype in high-risk urban children.
- Interventions targeting maternal stress and depression may help reduce viral respiratory illnesses and recurrent wheezing in preschool children.
- These findings suggest a potential pathway for mitigating some forms of childhood asthma by addressing maternal mental health during the perinatal period.
Background:
Prenatal and early-life exposure to maternal stress and depression is linked to development of recurrent wheezing in young children.
Objective:
We sought to determine whether maternal stress and depression in early life are associated with nonatopic wheezing phenotype in urban children.
Methods:
The Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma Study examined a birth cohort of children at high risk for asthma in low-income neighborhoods. Prenatal and postnatal (through age 3 years) maternal stress and depression scores were compared with respiratory phenotypes through age 10 years (multinomial regression), self-reported colds (linear regression), and detection of respiratory viruses (Poisson regression).
Results:
Scores for maternal depression, and, to a lesser extent, maternal perceived stress, were positively related to multiple wheezing phenotypes. In particular, cumulative measures of maternal depression in the first 3 years were related to the moderate-wheeze-low-atopy phenotype (odds ratio, 1.13; [1.05, 1.21]; P < .01). Considering indicators of respiratory health that were used to identify the phenotypes, there were multiple positive associations between early-life scores for maternal stress and depression and increased wheezing illnesses, but no consistent relationships with lung function and some inverse relationships with allergic sensitization. Cumulative maternal stress and depression scores were associated with cumulative number of respiratory illnesses through age 3 years.
Conclusions:
Among high-risk, urban children, maternal stress and depression in early life were positively associated with respiratory illnesses and a moderate-wheeze-low-atopy phenotype. These results suggest that treating stress and depression in expectant and new mothers could reduce viral respiratory illnesses and recurrent wheeze during the preschool years and some forms of childhood asthma.
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