Maternal perinatal depressive symptoms trajectories and impact on toddler behavior - the importance of symptom duration and maternal bonding

Abstract

Background: Maternal perinatal depression is a public health problem affecting mothers and children worldwide. This study aimed to increase the knowledge regarding the impact of timing of maternal depression on child behavioral difficulties at 18 months, taking into consideration child gender and maternal bonding.

Methods: Data from a Swedish population-based longitudinal mother-infant study (n = 1,093) were used for linear regression modeling. Associations between antenatal depression, postpartum depression, persistent depression and child behavioral problems were assessed.

Results: Maternal antenatal and persistent depression were associated with higher Child Behavior Checklist scores. Girls were affected to a greater degree. Postpartum bonding mediated most of the negative effects of postpartum and persistent depression on child behavior; not the effects of antenatal depression, however.

Limitations: Child behavioral problems were reported by the mother. Information regarding paternal depressive symptoms was lacking.

Conclusion: Different onset and timing of maternal depression showed distinct associations with child behavioral problems. The effects of antenatal depression were not mediated by maternal bonding, indicating underlying mechanisms possibly related to fetal programming. Screening of depressive symptoms even during pregnancy would be important in routine care in order to early identify and treat depression.

Keywords: Child development; Mother-child relationship; Peripartum depression; Prenatal.