Fetal programming of neuropsychiatric disorders by maternal pregnancy depression: a systematic mini review

BACKGROUND: Maternal depression complicates a large proportion of pregnancies. Current evidence shows numerous harmful effects on the offspring. Reviews, which include depression, concluded that stress has harmful effects on the offspring's outcomes neuro-cognitive development, temperament traits, and mental disorders. OBJECTIVE: This mini review of recent studies, sought to narrow the scope of exposure and identify studies specifically assessing prenatal depression and offspring neuropsychiatric outcomes. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The review included longitudinal, cohort, cross-sectional, clinical, quasi-experimental, epidemiological, or intervention study designs published in English from 2014 to 2018. PARTICIPANTS: Study populations included mother-child dyads, mother-father-child triads, mother-alternative caregiver-child triads, and family studies utilizing sibling comparisons. METHODS: We searched PubMED and Web of Science. Study inclusion and data extraction were based on standardized templates. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS: Thirteen studies examining neuropsychiatric outcomes were included. We judged the evidence to be moderate to high quality. CONCLUSIONS: Our review supports that maternal prenatal depression is associated with neuropsychiatric adversities in children.Peer reviewe

Prenatal exposure to preeclampsia as a risk factor for long-term endocrine morbidity of the offspring

Objective: To analyze preeclampsia as a risk factor for pediatric endocrine disease. Study Design: A population-based cohort analysis comparing the risk of endocrine morbidity of children born between 1991-2014 to mothers with and without preeclampsia. Results: The study included 253,808 deliveries. Exposed offspring had significantly more endocrine hospitalizations (0.7% vs 0.4%; p < 0.001), specifically obesity (0.4% vs 0.2%, p < 0.001). While controlling for confounders, the exposed offspring had significantly more endocrine morbidity (OR 1.433 95% CI 1.115–1.841 p = 0.005). Conclusion: Preeclampsia is an independent risk factor for long-term endocrine disease of the offspring, specifically obesity