The association between perinatal maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and offspring neurodevelopment at 24 months of age

IF 4.9 2区医学 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Journal of affective disorders Pub Date : 2025-07-13 DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2025.119884

Anna Sindalovsky , Katherine Geisler , Heather G. Huddleston , Marcelle I. Cedars , Eleni G. Jaswa , Riley Huddleston , Maya Julian-Kwong , Jamie Corley , Elena Hoskin , Karla J. Lindquist

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Prenatal anxiety and depression have been linked to adverse childhood neurodevelopment, potentially through cortisol-induced epigenetic changes. Postpartum depression is also associated with neurodevelopmental delays, possibly via altered parental attachment. While prenatal and postpartum mental health may be correlated, their relative and independent impacts on offspring neurodevelopment remain unclear. This study examines the effects of prenatal and postpartum anxiety and/or depression on neurodevelopmental delay at 24 months.

Methods

In a nationwide prospective cohort from the “Assessing the Safety of Pregnancy in the Coronavirus Pandemic” study, prenatal anxiety (GAD-7), prenatal depression (PHQ-9), and six-week postpartum depression (EPDS) were assessed. Childhood neurodevelopment was measured using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rd edition (ASQ-3). Logistic regression tested associations between moderate-to-severe maternal anxiety/depression and neurodevelopmental delay, adjusting for participant age, education, household income, and residential density. Alcohol, nicotine, anxiety/depression medication use during pregnancy, and preterm birth were considered as moderators/mediators.

Results

Offspring of participants experiencing both prenatal and postpartum moderate-to-severe anxiety or depression (N = 62) had a higher risk of neurodevelopmental delay at 24 months compared to those who experienced neither (N = 1060) with an adjusted risk ratio of 1.88 (p < 0.001). While delay risk was higher in offspring of those with only prenatal (N = 218) or postpartum (N = 45) anxiety/depression, these were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

Having both moderate-to-severe prenatal and postpartum anxiety or depression independently increased the risk of developmental delay at 24 months, even after adjusting for confounders. Further research is needed to explore underlying mechanisms linking maternal mental health and fetal neurodevelopment.

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COVID-19大流行期间围产期孕产妇心理健康与24 月龄时后代神经发育之间的关系

背景：产前焦虑和抑郁与儿童神经发育不良有关，可能通过皮质醇诱导的表观遗传改变。产后抑郁症也与神经发育迟缓有关，可能通过改变父母依恋。虽然产前和产后心理健康可能相关，但它们对后代神经发育的相对和独立影响尚不清楚。本研究考察了产前和产后焦虑和/或抑郁对24 个月时神经发育迟缓的影响。方法：在一项来自“冠状病毒大流行期间妊娠安全性评估”研究的全国前瞻性队列中，评估产前焦虑（GAD-7）、产前抑郁（PHQ-9）和产后6周抑郁（EPDS）。儿童神经发育采用第三版年龄和阶段问卷（ASQ-3）进行测量。Logistic回归检验了中重度母亲焦虑/抑郁与神经发育迟缓之间的关系，调整了参与者的年龄、教育程度、家庭收入和居住密度。酒精、尼古丁、孕期使用焦虑/抑郁药物和早产被认为是调节/中介因素。结果：产前和产后均经历过中至重度焦虑或抑郁（N = 62）的参与者的后代在24 个月时发生神经发育迟缓的风险高于未经历过（N = 1060）的参与者（p ），调整后的风险比为1.88 （p ）。结论：即使在调整混杂因素后，产前和产后均经历过中至重度焦虑或抑郁的参与者的后代在24 个月时发生发育迟缓的风险也增加。需要进一步的研究来探索母亲心理健康和胎儿神经发育之间的潜在机制。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of affective disorders 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

10.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

1319

审稿时长

9.3 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Affective Disorders publishes papers concerned with affective disorders in the widest sense: depression, mania, mood spectrum, emotions and personality, anxiety and stress. It is interdisciplinary and aims to bring together different approaches for a diverse readership. Top quality papers will be accepted dealing with any aspect of affective disorders, including neuroimaging, cognitive neurosciences, genetics, molecular biology, experimental and clinical neurosciences, pharmacology, neuroimmunoendocrinology, intervention and treatment trials.