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Maternal anorexia nervosa and risk of mental and neurodevelopmental morbidity in offspring

Sam Amar1, Gabriel Côté-Corriveau2,3, Mimi Israël4

  • 1Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health
|December 2, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Children born to mothers with anorexia nervosa face increased risks of mental, substance-related, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Early psychosocial support for mothers may help prevent these childhood morbidities.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Maternal Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Anorexia nervosa in mothers can potentially impact fetal neurodevelopment.
  • The study investigates the link between maternal anorexia nervosa and offspring's mental, substance-related, and neurodevelopmental health.
  • Understanding these associations is crucial for early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between maternal anorexia nervosa and subsequent mental, substance-related, and neurodevelopmental morbidity in children.
  • To quantify the risk of specific childhood disorders linked to maternal anorexia nervosa.
  • To inform potential support strategies for mothers with anorexia nervosa.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study involving 1,269,370 children in Quebec, Canada (2006-2022).
  • Exposure defined as maternal anorexia nervosa requiring hospitalization.
  • Childhood hospitalization for mental, substance-related, or neurodevelopmental disorders (birth to age 17) was the primary outcome.
  • Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

  • Children of mothers with anorexia nervosa showed higher hospitalization rates for mental, substance-related, and neurodevelopmental issues (104.7 vs. 51.4 per 1,000).
  • Significant associations were found for mental health hospitalizations, particularly anorexia nervosa (HR 10.62) and anxiety/stress disorders (HR 1.84).
  • Maternal anorexia nervosa was also linked to increased risk of substance-related (HR 2.01) and neurodevelopmental morbidity (HR 1.55) in children.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal anorexia nervosa is associated with increased childhood hospitalizations for mental, substance-related, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
  • While results are significant, potential confounders warrant cautious interpretation.
  • Mothers with anorexia nervosa could benefit from enhanced psychosocial support to mitigate offspring morbidity.
Abstract

Keywords:
Anorexia nervosaeating disordersmental disordersneonatal abstinence syndromeneurodevelopmental disorderspediatrics

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