The association between asthma and perinatal mental illness: a population-based cohort study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Psychiatric Epidemiology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Asthma is a known risk factor for mental illness.
• Limited research exists on the asthma-mental illness link during the perinatal period.
• This study investigates the association between pre-existing asthma and mental health outcomes around pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between asthma diagnosed before pregnancy and perinatal mental illness.
• To explore potential modifying effects of social and medical complexities on this association.
• To analyze the relationship by timing (prenatal/postpartum) and type of mental illness.

Main Methods:

• Population-based cohort study of 846,155 women in Ontario, Canada (2005-2015).
• Inclusion criteria: singleton live birth, no recent history of mental illness.
• Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess associations, controlling for confounders.

Main Results:

• Women with asthma showed a higher likelihood of perinatal mental illness (aRR 1.14).
• Asthma was linked to increased risks of prenatal (aRR 1.11) and postpartum (aRR 1.17) mental illness diagnoses.
• Elevated risks were observed for mood/anxiety, psychotic, and substance/alcohol-use disorders.

Conclusions:

• Pre-existing asthma slightly increases the risk of mental illness during pregnancy and postpartum.
• Social or medical complexities did not modify the asthma-mental illness association.
• A multidisciplinary approach is suggested for timely identification and treatment of mental illness in pregnant women with asthma.