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Impact of maternal prenatal and parental postnatal stress on 1-year-old child development: results from the OTIS antidepressants in pregnancy study

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Abstract

Perinatal psychological stress has been associated with unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcomes. We aimed to assess the impact of perinatal stress on infant development at 1 year of age. We recruited pregnant women calling North American Teratogen Information Services or attending outpatient clinics at CHU Sainte Justine (Montreal) between 2008 and 2010 and their spouses. To be part of our study, women had to be (1) >18 years of age, (2) <15 weeks of gestational age at recruitment, (3) living within 250-km radius of Montreal, and (4) taking antidepressants or non-teratogenic drugs. Stress was assessed using the telephone-administered four-item perceived stress scale during pregnancy in mothers and at 2 months postpartum in both parents. Child development at 1 year of age was evaluated with the Bayley III scales. Socio-demographic and potential confounders were collected through telephone interviews. Multivariable linear regression models were built to assess the association between perinatal parental stress and child development. Overall, 71 couples and their infants were included. When adjusted for potential confounders, maternal prenatal stress was positively associated with motor development (adjusted β = 1.85, CI 95 % (0.01, 3.70)). Postpartum maternal and paternal stresses were negatively associated with motor and socio-emotional development, respectively (adjusted β = −1.54, CI 95 % (−3.07, −0.01) and adjusted β = −1.67, CI 95 % (−3.25, −0.10), respectively). Maternal and paternal postnatal stress seems to be harmful for the motor and socio-emotional development in 1-year-old children. No association was demonstrated between parental stress and cognitive, language, and adaptive behavioral development. However, prenatal maternal stress appears to improve motor skills.

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Acknowledgments

We thank each OTIS center and the research nurses for the recruitment of participants and the CIHR-Quebec Training Network in Perinatal Research for the student scholarship. This study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR, grant number IHD-79787), the “Fonds de la recherche en santé du Quebec” (FRSQ), and the “Conseil du medicament.” Dr. Anick Bérard is the recipient of a career award from the FRSQ and is on the endowment Research Chair of the Famille Louis-Boivin on Medications, Pregnancy, and Lactation at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Montreal.

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Karam, F., Sheehy, O., Huneau, MC. et al. Impact of maternal prenatal and parental postnatal stress on 1-year-old child development: results from the OTIS antidepressants in pregnancy study. Arch Womens Ment Health 19, 835–843 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0624-6

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