Browsing by Author "Ahlberg, Aino"

Aims of the study. Mental disorders and their intergenerational nature are significant global health problems. Research shows that prenatal and postnatal exposure to maternal affective disorders increases the risk of mental disorders in children. A more precise understanding of the timing of maternal affective disorders in predicting the risk of child psychopathology is needed. This study examined whether maternal affective disorders before, during, and after pregnancy are associated with the risk of mental disorders in children up to the age of 7–11 years. Timing of maternal affective disorders, i.e. the sensitive periods, and additive effects of maternal affective disorders were also assessed. Methods. The study sample is a part of an ongoing prospective PREDO-study. The sample (N = 4692) comprised mother-child-pairs whose hospital records documenting mental disorders was available. The associations between maternal affective disorders and any mental disorder, disorders of psychological development, and behavioural and emotional disorders in the offspring were analyzed using Cox regression models, controlling for sociodemographic factors and maternal substance use disorders. Timing of maternal affective disorders was assessed by comparing the observed risks, i.e. hazard ratios, of the different time periods. Results and conclusions. Maternal affective disorders during every time period predicted increased risks of offspring mental disorders. Maternal affective disorders before and after pregnancy associated with the risk of any mental disorder, disorders of psychological development, and behavioural and emotional disorders. Maternal prenatal affective disorders were associated with increased risks of any mental disorders and disorders of psychological development. Timing of maternal affective disorders did not appear to be crucial, but maternal affective disorders at different timepoints had additive effects on child mental disorders. Findings suggest that maternal affective disorders predict mental disorders in young children. Preventive interventions for women planning for pregnancy, during pregnancy, and for families with young children may prevent mental disorders in both the mother and the child.