Assessing the Impact of Parental Depressive Symptoms on Offspring Temperament and Development in Infancy (original) (raw)

Prenatal depression effects on the fetus and newborn: a review

Infant Behavior & Development, 2006

Prenatal mood and biochemistry levels were assessed in women with (N = 70) and without (N = 70) depressive symptoms during their second trimester of pregnancy. At the neonatal period maternal and neonatal biochemistry, EEG and vagal tone levels were assessed, neonatal behavioral states were observed and the Brazelton neurobehavioral assessment was conducted. The mothers with depressive symptoms had higher prenatal cortisol levels and lower dopamine and serotonin levels. Mothers with depressive symptoms were also more likely to deliver prematurely and have low birthweight babies. The newborns of mothers with depressive symptoms had higher cortisol levels and lower dopamine and serotonin levels, thus mimicking their mothers prenatal levels. On the Brazelton Scale, the newborns of depressed mothers had less optimal habituation, orientation, motor, range of state, autonomic stability and depressed scores. A path analysis was conducted to assess the effects of prenatal depression and the mothers' prepartum biochemistry on gestational age and birthweight. As predicted in the model proposed, prenatal depression was related to prepartum cortisol and norepinephrine levels, and cortisol levels were in turn negatively related to prematurity, and norepinephrine levels were positively related to low birthweight.

Chronic Prenatal Depression and Neonatal Outcome

International Journal of Neuroscience, 2008

Four hundred and thirty pregnant women were recruited at approximately 22 weeks gestation at prenatal clinics. Of these, 86 (20%) were diagnosed as depressed. The women were seen again at approximately 32 weeks gestation and after delivery. Chronicity of depression was evidenced by continuing high depression scores in those women diagnosed as depressed. Comorbid problems were chronically high anxiety, anger, sleep disturbance, and pain scores. Less optimal outcomes for the depressed women included lower gestational age and lower birthweight of their newborns.

Prenatal depression effects on the fetus and the newborn

Infant Behavior & Development, 2004

Untreated prenatal maternal depression and the potential risks to offspring: a review

Archives of Women's Mental Health, 2012

Research exploring the effects of prenatal maternal depression on a developing fetus and child is underrepresented in the literature. Empirical papers have typically focused on the effects of postpartum depression (after birth) instead of prepartum depression (before birth). Disparate empirical findings have produced ongoing debate regarding the effects of prenatal depression on a developing fetus and later in infancy and early childhood. Even more controversial is determining the role of antidepressant medication on offspring outcomes and whether research that does not include the proper control population (e.g., unmedicated depressed participants) can adequately address questions about risks and benefits of treatment during pregnancy. The current review systematically summarizes the literature focusing on unmedicated prenatal depression and offspring outcome and concludes that prepartum depression is highly prevalent, is associated with negative outcomes in offspring, and remains understudied.

Maternal depression during pregnancy is associated with increased birth weight in term infants

Developmental psychobiology, 2017

Previous research of maternal depression during pregnancy suggests an association with low birth weight in newborns. Review of these studies reveals predominant comorbidity with premature birth. This current study examines antenatal depression and birth weight in term, medically low-risk pregnancies. Maternal physiological and demographic measures were collected as well. In total, 227 pregnant women were recruited to participate in four experimental protocols at Columbia University Medical Center. Results indicate that depressed pregnant women who carry to term had significantly higher heart rates, lower heart rate variability, and gave birth to heavier babies than those of pregnant women who were not depressed. Low income participants had significantly higher levels of depression, as well as significantly higher heart rates and lower heart rate variability, than those in higher income groups. In full-term infants, maternal prenatal depression appears to promote higher birth weight,...

The impact of maternal depression in pregnancy on early child development

Objective Postpartum depression in mothers is associated with developmental problems in their children. Many women who are depressed following childbirth are also depressed during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and child development at 18 months of age.

Prenatal depression effects on neonates

Infant Behavior and Development, 1999

Sixty-three pregnant women (36 with depression symptoms) were recruited during their last trimester of pregnancy. The depressed mothers had higher cortisol and norepinephrine levels and lower dopamine levels. Their infants subsequently had higher cortisol and norepinephrine levels and lower dopamine levels at the neonatal stage. The neonates of depressed mothers also showed inferior performance on the orientation, reflex, excitability, and withdrawal clusters of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that the depressed mothers' prenatal norepinephrine and dopamine levels significantly predicted the newborns' norepinephrine and dopamine levels and their Brazelton scores, highlighting an early biochemical influence on neonatal outcome.

Assessing the Impact of Parental Depressive Symptoms on Offspring Temperament and Development in Infancy (original) (raw)

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