Maternal psychological morbidity and low birth weight in India

TY - JOUR

T1 - Maternal psychological morbidity and low birth weight in India

AU - Patel, Vikram

AU - Prince, Martin

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Depression following childbirth is associated with poor child growth in developing countries. We describe the association between psychological morbidity during pregnancy and low birth weight (<2.5 kg). A cohort of 270 mothers was recruited from a district hospitalin Goa, India; all mothers were interviewed with a screening questionnaire for psychological morbidity. Babies of 250 mothers were reviewed at birth to measure their weight. Excluding 5 premature babies, we found that maternal psychological morbidity was independently associated with low birth weight (odds ratio 1.44, 95% CI 1.0–2.07). We conclude that maternal psychological morbidity has an adverse impact on foetal growth.

AB - Depression following childbirth is associated with poor child growth in developing countries. We describe the association between psychological morbidity during pregnancy and low birth weight (<2.5 kg). A cohort of 270 mothers was recruited from a district hospitalin Goa, India; all mothers were interviewed with a screening questionnaire for psychological morbidity. Babies of 250 mothers were reviewed at birth to measure their weight. Excluding 5 premature babies, we found that maternal psychological morbidity was independently associated with low birth weight (odds ratio 1.44, 95% CI 1.0–2.07). We conclude that maternal psychological morbidity has an adverse impact on foetal growth.

U2 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.012096

DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.012096

M3 - Article

C2 - 16507972

SN - 0007-1250

VL - 188

SP - 284

EP - 285

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

JF - British Journal of Psychiatry

ER -