Review
Clinical Neurology
Naomi Azar, Linda Booij
Summary: The research suggests that prenatal maternal stress may be linked to offspring mental health through DNA methylation, but conclusive evidence is lacking from integrative studies. Key considerations include methodological issues and the need for more comprehensive research in the future.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Jessica L. Buthmann, Jonas G. Miller, Ian H. Gotlib
Summary: The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has long-term adverse effects on new mothers and children born during this period. Maternal depressive symptoms and pandemic-related stress during pregnancy are associated with infant negative affect and may have enduring effects on infant temperament.
DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Rebecca Lipschutz, Paulina A. Kulesz, Guillaume Elgbeili, Brian Biekman, David P. Laplante, David M. Olson, Suzanne King, Johanna Bick
Summary: Prenatal maternal stress and mental health problems can increase the risk of developmental psychopathology in offspring. In a study on women who were pregnant during Hurricane Harvey, researchers found that objective hardships related to the storm indirectly predicted infant temperament outcomes through its association with maternal mental health symptoms. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing and providing mental health services for vulnerable women and young children.
DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Sara Sammallahti, Elisa Holmlund-Suila, Runyu Zou, Saara Valkama, Jenni Rosendahl, Maria Enlund-Cerullo, Helena Hauta-Alus, Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen, Hanan El Marroun, Henning Tiemeier, Outi Makitie, Sture Andersson, Katri Raikkonen, Kati Heinonen
Summary: Higher maternal vitamin D concentration during pregnancy is associated with better child mental health, particularly in relation to negative affectivity, a trait indicating increased risk of psychopathology. The study found that higher maternal early/mid-pregnancy vitamin D levels were associated with lower negative affectivity in infants, while cord blood vitamin D levels showed less clear associations. These findings suggest that maternal vitamin D status during early- and mid-pregnancy may play a role in the behavioral development of offspring.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edward B. Quinn, Chu J. Hsiao, Felicien M. Maisha, Connie J. Mulligan
Summary: Prenatal maternal stress has been found to have negative effects on child health, but the exact mechanisms are not well understood. This study in the Democratic Republic of Congo examined the impact of maternal stress on DNA methylation in mothers and newborns. It was found that different types of trauma, such as sexual trauma and war trauma, were associated with changes in DNA methylation in both mothers and newborns, while chronic stress did not have such an effect.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Zahra M. Clayborne, Wendy Nilsen, Fartein Ask Torvik, Kristin Gustavson, Mona Bekkhus, Stephen E. Gilman, Golam M. Khandaker, Deshayne B. Fell, Ian Colman
Summary: Positive maternal mental health is associated with children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and may buffer against the impacts of prenatal stress. It is an important intervention target to improve maternal-child well-being and foster intergenerational resilience.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sian M. Davies, Sergio A. Silverio, Paul Christiansen, Victoria Fallon
Summary: The study identified associations between maternal mental health (anxiety and depression), maternal-infant bonding, and infant temperament, with anxiety being the only mediator of the relationship between bonding and temperament. Healthcare professionals should take into account maternal anxiety when dealing with mother-infant relational issues.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rachel E. Lean, Christopher D. Smyser, Rebecca G. Brady, Regina L. Triplett, Sydney Kaplan, Jeanette K. Kenley, Joshua S. Shimony, Tara A. Smyser, J. Phillip Miller, Deanna M. Barch, Joan L. Luby, Barbara B. Warner, Cynthia E. Rogers
Summary: This study found that early life adversity is associated with altered microstructure in fronto-limbic pathways, with social disadvantage being independently associated with lower mean diffusivity (MD) and psychosocial stress being associated with both lower MD and higher fractional anisotropy (FA). The effects of psychosocial stress were more pronounced in individuals with lower socioeconomic status.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Sandra P. Zoubovsky, Michael T. Williams, Sarah Hoseus, Shivani Tumukuntala, Amy Riesenberg, Jay Schulkin, Charles V. Vorhees, Kenneth Campbell, Hee-Woong Lim, Louis J. Muglia
Summary: Prenatal stress in mice leads to anxiety-like behavior and increased activity of the HPA axis. Evidence of fetal amygdala programming precedes these abnormalities. In adult offspring, there are sex-specific amygdalar transcriptional changes and dysfunction in neurotransmitter systems. These abnormalities are primarily driven by in-utero stress exposure, but postnatal maternal care changes can reverse anxiety-related behaviors and partially rescue gene alterations associated with neurotransmission.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Hildigunnur Anna Hall, Lydia Gabriela Speyer, Aja Louise Murray, Bonnie Auyeung
Summary: Prior research indicates that prenatal maternal infections, particularly those reported by mothers, may be linked to increased emotional problems in children, underscoring the importance of screening and prevention. However, hospital-recorded prenatal infections were not associated with children's socioemotional outcomes, suggesting a potential discrepancy in the impact of different types of prenatal infections.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maria F. Mujica-Coopman, Camila Corvalan, Marcela Flores, Maria Luisa Garmendia
Summary: This study aims to describe the design, methods, and preliminary findings of the Chilean Maternal & Infant Cohort Study II (CHiMINCs-II), which examines the health consequences for mothers and infants in the COVID-19 era. The study includes two nested studies focused on breast cancer risk assessment and the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and infant health and nutrition.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Min Chen, Guanghai Wang, Xiaoning Sun, Min Meng, Yanrui Jiang, Wanqi Sun, Yujiao Deng, Qi Zhu, Fan Jiang
Summary: This study found that prenatal depression significantly affects child mental health, and maternal childhood trauma plays a key role in this effect. The results showed that prenatal depression predicts child mental health problems, and childhood emotional abuse moderates this relationship.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Ngala Elvis Mbiydzenyuy, Sian Megan Joanna Hemmings, Lihle Qulu
Summary: This review article discusses the mechanisms underlying the influence of prenatal maternal stress on fetal neuroendocrine signaling, as well as the potential risks for aggressive behavior in offspring. It covers topics such as the maternal-placental-fetal interface, disruptions in the intrauterine environment, and epigenetic modifications of genes involved in aggressive behavior.
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Julie Ribaudo, Jamie M. Lawler, Jennifer M. Jester, Jessica Riggs, Nora L. Erickson, Ann M. Stacks, Holly Brophy-Herb, Maria Muzik, Katherine L. Rosenblum
Summary: This study examined the effectiveness of the Michigan Model of Infant Mental Health-Home Visiting (IMH-HV) in promoting the socioemotional wellbeing of infants and young children. It found that parental co-regulation of infant emotion plays a crucial role in a child's ability for self-regulation. Parents with a history of childhood adversity and symptoms of post-traumatic stress may face challenges in co-regulating their infants, increasing the risk of social and emotional problems in their children. Early intervention targeting the infant-parent relationship can help mitigate the impact of parental risk on child outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alvaro Monterrosa-Castro, Shairine Romero-Martinez, Angelica Monterrosa-Blanco
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the frequency of Positive Maternal Mental Health (PMMH) interpretation levels in pregnant women who attended prenatal consultation and to identify their association with obstetric and psychosocial factors. The results showed that 90.3% of pregnant women had flourishing PMMH, while 9.7% had non-flourishing PMMH. Factors associated with non-flourishing PMMH included loneliness, age, anxiety, and depression.
