Maternal antenatal anxiety and children's behavioural/emotional problems at 4 years. Report from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Br J Psychiatry. 2002 Jun:180:502-8. doi: 10.1192/bjp.180.6.502.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / etiology*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Maternal Behavior / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / psychology*
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales