Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study
Background Exposure to maternal mental illness during foetal development may lead to altered development, resulting in permanent changes in offspring functioning. Aims To assess whether there is an association between prenatal maternal psychiatric disorders and offspring behavioural problems in ea...
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424008391/type/journal_article |
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| author | Amy Braddon Rosa Alati Kim S. Betts |
| author_facet | Amy Braddon Rosa Alati Kim S. Betts |
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Background
Exposure to maternal mental illness during foetal development may lead to altered development, resulting in permanent changes in offspring functioning.
Aims
To assess whether there is an association between prenatal maternal psychiatric disorders and offspring behavioural problems in early childhood, using linked health administrative data and the Australian Early Development Census from New South Wales, Australia.
Method
The sample included all mother–child pairs of children who commenced full-time school in 2009 in New South Wales, and met the inclusion criteria (N = 69 165). Univariable logistic regression analysis assessed unadjusted associations between categories of maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders with indicators of offspring behavioural problems. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted the associations of interest for psychiatric categories and a priori selected covariates. Sensitivity analyses included adjusting the final model for primary psychiatric diagnoses and assessing association of interest for effect modification by child's biological gender.
Results
Children exposed in the prenatal period to maternal psychiatric disorders had greater odds of being developmentally vulnerable in their first year of school. Children exposed to maternal anxiety disorders prenatally had the greatest odds for behavioural problems (adjusted odds ratio 1.98; 95% CI 1.43–2.69). A statistically significant interaction was found between child biological gender and prenatal hospital admissions for substance use disorders, for emotional subdomains, aggression and hyperactivity/inattention.
Conclusions
Children exposed to prenatal maternal mental illness had greater odds for behavioural problems, independent of postnatal exposure. Those exposed to prenatal maternal anxiety were at greatest risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions for, and support of, families with mental illness.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-972fa753bd3d47de9b7c468186d132db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-972fa753bd3d47de9b7c468186d132db2025-01-17T08:18:02ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242025-01-011110.1192/bjo.2024.839Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based studyAmy Braddon0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4342-0809Rosa Alati1Kim S. Betts2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5855-1911School of Population Health, Curtin University, AustraliaSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, AustraliaSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Australia Background Exposure to maternal mental illness during foetal development may lead to altered development, resulting in permanent changes in offspring functioning. Aims To assess whether there is an association between prenatal maternal psychiatric disorders and offspring behavioural problems in early childhood, using linked health administrative data and the Australian Early Development Census from New South Wales, Australia. Method The sample included all mother–child pairs of children who commenced full-time school in 2009 in New South Wales, and met the inclusion criteria (N = 69 165). Univariable logistic regression analysis assessed unadjusted associations between categories of maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders with indicators of offspring behavioural problems. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted the associations of interest for psychiatric categories and a priori selected covariates. Sensitivity analyses included adjusting the final model for primary psychiatric diagnoses and assessing association of interest for effect modification by child's biological gender. Results Children exposed in the prenatal period to maternal psychiatric disorders had greater odds of being developmentally vulnerable in their first year of school. Children exposed to maternal anxiety disorders prenatally had the greatest odds for behavioural problems (adjusted odds ratio 1.98; 95% CI 1.43–2.69). A statistically significant interaction was found between child biological gender and prenatal hospital admissions for substance use disorders, for emotional subdomains, aggression and hyperactivity/inattention. Conclusions Children exposed to prenatal maternal mental illness had greater odds for behavioural problems, independent of postnatal exposure. Those exposed to prenatal maternal anxiety were at greatest risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions for, and support of, families with mental illness. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424008391/type/journal_articleElectronic health recordsneurodevelopmental disordersbig dataperinatal psychiatrysubstance use disorders |
| spellingShingle | Amy Braddon Rosa Alati Kim S. Betts Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study BJPsych Open Electronic health records neurodevelopmental disorders big data perinatal psychiatry substance use disorders |
| title | Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study |
| title_full | Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study |
| title_fullStr | Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study |
| title_short | Examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood: population-based study |
| title_sort | examining the association between maternal prenatal psychiatric disorders and behavioural problems among offspring in early childhood population based study |
| topic | Electronic health records neurodevelopmental disorders big data perinatal psychiatry substance use disorders |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424008391/type/journal_article |
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