Dopamine receptor polymorphism modulates the relation between antenatal maternal anxiety and fetal movement

Perinatal anxiety and depressive symptoms and perception of child behavior and temperament in early motherhood

The perinatal period is a vulnerable time for the development of psychopathology, particularly mood and anxiety disorders. In the study of maternal anxiety, important questions remain regarding the association between maternal anxiety symptoms and subsequent child outcomes. This study examined the association between depressive and anxiety symptoms, namely social anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia disorder symptoms during the perinatal period and maternal perception of child behavior, specifically different facets of development and temperament. Participants (N = 104) were recruited during pregnancy from a community sample. Participants completed clinician-administered and self-report measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy and at 16 months postpartum; child behavior and temperament outcomes were assessed at 16 months postpartum. Child development areas included gross and fine motor skills, language and problem-solving abilities, and personal/social skills. Child temperament domains included surgency, negative affectivity, and effortful control. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that elevated prenatal social anxiety symptoms significantly predicted more negative maternal report of child behavior across most measured domains. Elevated prenatal social anxiety and panic symptoms predicted more negative maternal report of child effortful control. Depressive and agoraphobia symptoms were not significant predictors of child outcomes. Elevated anxiety symptoms appear to have a distinct association with maternal report of child development and temperament. Considering the relative influence of anxiety symptoms, particularly social anxiety, on maternal report of child behavior and temperament can help to identify potential difficulties early on in mother-child interactions as well as inform interventions for women and their families.

Effects of maternal anxiety and depression on fetal neuro-development

BACKGROUND

Fetal development is affected by maternal mental health with research indicating that maternal anxiety and depression are co-morbid; nevertheless differential effects on the fetus have been found. This study examines, prenatally, effects of maternal stress, anxiety and depression on fetal eye-blink reactions to experimental sound and light stimulation.

METHODS

Two groups of singleton fetuses (mean 32-weeks gestation) were examined using 4D ultrasound: a control group (N = 14, 7 female) with no stimulation and an experimental group (N = 21, 13 female) exposed to experimental sound, light and cross-modal stimulation. For both groups ultrasound scans were performed and fetal eye-blink was assessed. Mothers completed the Hospital-Anxiety-and-Depression Scale and the Perceived-Stress Scale. Analysis was carried out using Poisson mixed effects modelling.

RESULTS

Fetal eye-blink rate during experimental stimulation was significantly and differentially associated with maternal mental health with a 20% increase of fetal eye-blink rate for each unit increase in anxiety score (p = 0.02) and a decrease of 21% of eye blink rate for each unit of increase in depression score (p = 0.02). Sound stimulation but not light stimulation significantly affected blink-rate with fetuses habituating to the stimuli (p < 0.001).

LIMITATIONS

Limitations are the relatively small number of fetuses and that a follow up after birth is essential to establish potential long-term effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Of clinical importance is the finding that although fetuses are affected by maternal mental health in general here we demonstrate, using eye-blink-rate during stimulation as measure of neuro-development, that fetuses are differentially affected by maternal anxiety and depression with anxiety increasing and depression decreasing fetal reactivity significantly.