© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Maternal antenatal anxiety and children's behavioural/emotional problems at 4 years
Report from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
Institute of Psychiatry, London
University of Bristol
University of Plymouth
Imperial College School of Medicine, London
Correspondence: Dr T. O'Connor, Institute of Psychiatry, III Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7848 0873; Fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 0866; e-mail: spjwtoc{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk
Declaration of interest ALSPAC is funded by The Wellcome Trust, the Department of Health, the Department of the Environment, and the Medical Research Council. Support for this analysis was provided by the PPP Healthcare Medical Trust.
See editorial, pp.
478–479, this issue.
Background Animal experiments suggest that maternal stress and anxiety during pregnancy have long-term effects on the behaviour of the offspring.
Aims To test the hypothesis that antenatal maternal anxiety predicts behavioural problems at age 4 years.
Method Data were collected on multiple antenatal and postnatal assessments of maternal anxiety and depression, antenatal and obstetric risks, psychosocial risks and children's behavioural/emotional problems (n=7448).
Results Antenatal maternal anxiety predicted behavioural/emotional problems in boys (OR=2.14, 95% CI 1.48-3.10) and girls (OR=1.88, 95% CI 1.3-2.69) after accounting for covariates. When covarying maternal anxiety up to 33 months postnatally, antenatal anxiety continued to predict total problems in boys (OR=1.56, 95% CI 1.02-2.41) and girls (OR=1.51, 95% CI 1.22-2.81).
Conclusions There could be a direct effect of maternal mood on foetal brain development, which affects the behavioural development of the child.
Related articles in BJP:
- Highlights of this issue
- MARY CANNON
BJP 2002 180: 0.[Full Text] - Adverse effects of maternal antenatal anxiety on children: causal effect or developmental continuum?
- MARGARET R. OATES
BJP 2002 180: 478-479.[Full Text]
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