Postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and behavioural outcomes in term-born and preterm-born toddlers: A longitudinal UK community cohort study

Ira Kleine; George Vamvakas; Alexandra Lautarescu; Shona Falconer; Andrew Chew; Serena Counsell; Andrew Pickles; David Edwards; Chiara Nosarti

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540

Postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and behavioural outcomes in term-born and preterm-born toddlers: A longitudinal UK community cohort study

Ira Kleine, George Vamvakas, Alexandra Lautarescu, Shona Falconer, Andrew Chew, Serena Counsell, Andrew Pickles, David Edwards, Chiara Nosarti^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives To examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms in the immediate postnatal period and offspring's behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of term-born and preterm-born toddlers. Design and participants Data were drawn from the Developing Human Connectome Project. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed at term-equivalent age, and children's outcomes were evaluated at a median corrected age of 18.4 months (range 17.3-24.3). Exposure and outcomes Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks completed gestation. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Toddlers' outcome measures were parent-rated Child Behaviour Checklist 1 1/2 -5 Total (CBCL) and Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores. Toddlers' cognition was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition (Bayley-III). Results Higher maternal EPDS scores were associated with toddlers' higher CBCL (B=0.93, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.44, p<0.001, f 2 =0.05) and Q-CHAT scores (B=0.27, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.52, p=0.031, f 2 =0.01). Maternal EPDS, toddlers' CBCL and Q-CHAT scores did not differ between preterm (n=97; 19.1% of the total sample) and term participants. Maternal EPDS score did not disproportionately affect preterm children with respect to CBCL or Q-CHAT scores. Conclusions Our findings indicate that children whose mothers reported increased depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period, including subclinical symptoms, exhibit more parent-reported behavioural problems in toddlerhood. These associations were independent of gestational age. Further research is needed to confirm the clinical significance of these findings.

Original language	English
Article number	058540
Journal	BMJ Open
Volume	12
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2022

Keywords

Child & adolescent psychiatry
Depression & mood disorders
Developmental neurology & neurodisability
MENTAL HEALTH
NEONATOLOGY

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540

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title = "Postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and behavioural outcomes in term-born and preterm-born toddlers: A longitudinal UK community cohort study",

abstract = "Objectives To examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms in the immediate postnatal period and offspring's behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of term-born and preterm-born toddlers. Design and participants Data were drawn from the Developing Human Connectome Project. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed at term-equivalent age, and children's outcomes were evaluated at a median corrected age of 18.4 months (range 17.3-24.3). Exposure and outcomes Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks completed gestation. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Toddlers' outcome measures were parent-rated Child Behaviour Checklist 1 1/2 -5 Total (CBCL) and Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores. Toddlers' cognition was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition (Bayley-III). Results Higher maternal EPDS scores were associated with toddlers' higher CBCL (B=0.93, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.44, p<0.001, f 2 =0.05) and Q-CHAT scores (B=0.27, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.52, p=0.031, f 2 =0.01). Maternal EPDS, toddlers' CBCL and Q-CHAT scores did not differ between preterm (n=97; 19.1% of the total sample) and term participants. Maternal EPDS score did not disproportionately affect preterm children with respect to CBCL or Q-CHAT scores. Conclusions Our findings indicate that children whose mothers reported increased depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period, including subclinical symptoms, exhibit more parent-reported behavioural problems in toddlerhood. These associations were independent of gestational age. Further research is needed to confirm the clinical significance of these findings.",

keywords = "Child & adolescent psychiatry, Depression & mood disorders, Developmental neurology & neurodisability, MENTAL HEALTH, NEONATOLOGY",

author = "Ira Kleine and George Vamvakas and Alexandra Lautarescu and Shona Falconer and Andrew Chew and Serena Counsell and Andrew Pickles and David Edwards and Chiara Nosarti",

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doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540",

language = "English",

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T1 - Postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and behavioural outcomes in term-born and preterm-born toddlers

T2 - A longitudinal UK community cohort study

AU - Kleine, Ira

AU - Vamvakas, George

AU - Lautarescu, Alexandra

AU - Falconer, Shona

AU - Chew, Andrew

AU - Counsell, Serena

AU - Pickles, Andrew

AU - Edwards, David

AU - Nosarti, Chiara

N1 - Publisher Copyright: ©

PY - 2022/9/1

Y1 - 2022/9/1

N2 - Objectives To examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms in the immediate postnatal period and offspring's behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of term-born and preterm-born toddlers. Design and participants Data were drawn from the Developing Human Connectome Project. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed at term-equivalent age, and children's outcomes were evaluated at a median corrected age of 18.4 months (range 17.3-24.3). Exposure and outcomes Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks completed gestation. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Toddlers' outcome measures were parent-rated Child Behaviour Checklist 1 1/2 -5 Total (CBCL) and Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores. Toddlers' cognition was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition (Bayley-III). Results Higher maternal EPDS scores were associated with toddlers' higher CBCL (B=0.93, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.44, p<0.001, f 2 =0.05) and Q-CHAT scores (B=0.27, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.52, p=0.031, f 2 =0.01). Maternal EPDS, toddlers' CBCL and Q-CHAT scores did not differ between preterm (n=97; 19.1% of the total sample) and term participants. Maternal EPDS score did not disproportionately affect preterm children with respect to CBCL or Q-CHAT scores. Conclusions Our findings indicate that children whose mothers reported increased depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period, including subclinical symptoms, exhibit more parent-reported behavioural problems in toddlerhood. These associations were independent of gestational age. Further research is needed to confirm the clinical significance of these findings.

AB - Objectives To examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms in the immediate postnatal period and offspring's behavioural outcomes in a large cohort of term-born and preterm-born toddlers. Design and participants Data were drawn from the Developing Human Connectome Project. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed at term-equivalent age, and children's outcomes were evaluated at a median corrected age of 18.4 months (range 17.3-24.3). Exposure and outcomes Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks completed gestation. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Toddlers' outcome measures were parent-rated Child Behaviour Checklist 1 1/2 -5 Total (CBCL) and Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) scores. Toddlers' cognition was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development - Third Edition (Bayley-III). Results Higher maternal EPDS scores were associated with toddlers' higher CBCL (B=0.93, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.44, p<0.001, f 2 =0.05) and Q-CHAT scores (B=0.27, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.52, p=0.031, f 2 =0.01). Maternal EPDS, toddlers' CBCL and Q-CHAT scores did not differ between preterm (n=97; 19.1% of the total sample) and term participants. Maternal EPDS score did not disproportionately affect preterm children with respect to CBCL or Q-CHAT scores. Conclusions Our findings indicate that children whose mothers reported increased depressive symptoms in the early postnatal period, including subclinical symptoms, exhibit more parent-reported behavioural problems in toddlerhood. These associations were independent of gestational age. Further research is needed to confirm the clinical significance of these findings.

KW - Child & adolescent psychiatry

KW - Depression & mood disorders

KW - Developmental neurology & neurodisability

KW - MENTAL HEALTH

KW - NEONATOLOGY

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U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058540

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C2 - 36581974

AN - SCOPUS:85137928030

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 12

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 9

M1 - 058540

ER -

Postnatal maternal depressive symptoms and behavioural outcomes in term-born and preterm-born toddlers: A longitudinal UK community cohort study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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