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Prenatal and perinatal influences on risk for psychopathology in childhood and adolescence
N B Allen1, P M Lewinsohn, J R Seeley
1Oregon Research Institute, USA.
Insights
Prenatal and perinatal factors significantly influence offspring psychopathology risk. Key risks include maternal health issues, birth complications, and infant illness, impacting conditions like depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal and developmental psychology
- Child and adolescent psychiatry
- Public health
Background:
- Prenatal and perinatal events are critical developmental periods.
- Understanding their impact on offspring mental health is crucial for early intervention.
- Previous research suggests links, but comprehensive analysis is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between various prenatal and perinatal events and the risk of psychopathology in offspring.
- To identify specific risk factors associated with different mental health conditions in adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 579 adolescents assessed twice using structured interviews.
- Investigated prenatal factors (maternal health, substance use, experiences) and perinatal factors (obstetric complications, infant health).
Main Results:
- Major depression linked to not being breastfed and maternal emotional problems.
- Anxiety associated with infant illness and maternal history of miscarriage/stillbirth.
- Disruptive behavior linked to maternal emotional health and birth complications.
- Substance use disorder risk associated with maternal substance use during pregnancy.
Conclusions:
- Specific prenatal and perinatal factors are significant predictors of offspring psychopathology.
- Identifying these risks can inform targeted prevention and support strategies.
- Further research should explore mediating and moderating factors like maternal depression and child gender.
Abstract:
The relationship between a range of prenatal and perinatal events and risk for psychopathology in offspring was examined. Prenatal and perinatal events investigated included maternal experiences, health, and substance use during pregnancy, obstetric complications, feeding practices, and infant health during the first year of life. Offspring diagnosis was based on structured interviews conducted with 579 adolescents on two occasions. Risk for later psychopathology was associated with a number of prenatal and perinatal factors. Major depression was associated with not being breast fed and maternal emotional problems during the pregnancy. Anxiety was chiefly associated with fever and illness during the first year of life and maternal history of miscarriage and stillbirth. Disruptive behavior disorder was associated with poor maternal emotional health during the pregnancy and birth complications. Risk for substance use disorder was associated with maternal use of substances during the pregnancy. Mediating effects of maternal depression, maternal-child conflict, and physical symptoms in the child, and moderating effects of gender of child and parental education were also evaluated. The limitations of this study are discussed and future research directions are suggested.