Maternal inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy and emotional-behavioral problems in children aged...

Emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) in early childhood have been associated with enduring mental health problems as well as with poor academic outcomes later in life. Thus, understanding the pathology and risk factors is essential for developing effective preventive strategies. While recent experimental studies suggest the linkage between maternal inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy and offspring's EBP symptoms, few epidemiological studies have explored both simultaneously. In this study, maternal inflammation biomarkers were measured at 18 and 26 weeks of gestation, and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured at 18, 22, and 26 weeks of gestation. Child EBP were assessed at 18 months, 2 years, and 3 years of age using the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5). We investigated the associations of maternal inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy with child EBP. We additionally explored effect modification by the timing of measurement during pregnancy, child sex, and age. Higher concentrations of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were associated with higher CBCL/1.5-5 scores, indicating presence of more problematic symptoms. Inflammatory biomarker associations were stronger among boys, while oxidative stress associations varied by gestational timing and were strongest later in pregnancy. Our findings suggest that maternal inflammation and oxidative stress may contribute to EBP outcomes in early childhood, with potential windows of susceptibility during pregnancy and differential vulnerability by child sex.