Cited by 425Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentBirth, Development, and Health

The persisting effect of maternal mood in pregnancy on childhood psychopathology

O'Donnell, Kieran J., Glover, Vivette, Barker, Edward D., O'Connor, Thomas G.·2014·Development and Psychopathology

Abstract

Developmental or fetal programming has emerged as a major model for understanding the early and persisting effects of prenatal exposures on the health and development of the child and adult. We leverage the power of a 14-year prospective study to examine the persisting effects of prenatal anxiety, a key candidate in the developmental programming model, on symptoms of behavioral and emotional problems across five occasions of measurement from age 4 to 13 years. The study is based on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort, a prospective, longitudinal study of a large community sample in the west of England (n = 7,944). Potential confounders included psychosocial and obstetric risk, postnatal maternal mood, paternal pre- and postnatal mood, and parenting. Results indicated that maternal prenatal anxiety predicted persistently higher behavioral and emotional symptoms across childhood with no diminishment of effect into adolescence. Elevated prenatal anxiety (top 15%) was associated with a twofold increase in risk of a probable child mental disorder, 12.31% compared with 6.83%, after allowing for confounders. Results were similar with prenatal depression. These analyses provide some of the strongest evidence to date that prenatal maternal mood has a direct and persisting effect on her child's psychiatric symptoms and support an in utero programming hypothesis.

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Crossref · 10.1017/s0954579414000029

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  • Children of pregnant women in the top 15% of self-reported prenatal anxiety and depression have an estimated 2-fold increased risk of a mental disorder, such as ADHD or anxiety, extending from childhood to adolescence.

    “children of pregnant women in the top 15% of self-reported prenatal anxiety and depression have an estimated 2-fold increased risk of a mental disorder (eg, ADHD or anxiety). This effect extends from childhood to adolescence.36”

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Authors
O'Donnell, K. J., Glover, V., Barker, E. D., & O'Connor, T. G.
Affiliations
  • Imperial College London (GB)
  • Birkbeck, University of London (GB)
Venue
Development and Psychopathology
Published
2014-03-12
Volume
26
Issue
2
Pages
393-403
ISSN
  • 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-2198
OpenAlex
W2159307880
Cited by
425
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 42 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1
FWCI
28.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (102215, 092731)
  • Medical Research Council (MC_PC_15018)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH073842)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
Keywords
prenatal anxiety, antenatal depression, maternal mood, fetal programming, developmental programming, childhood psychopathology, child psychopathology, adolescence, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, prenatal exposure
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Mental Disorders, Child, Child, Preschool, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires

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