title: Pregnancy complications associated with childhood anxiety disorders.
abstract: To determine whether perinatal complications predict childhood anxiety disorders independently of parental psychopathology, we systematically assessed pregnancy and delivery complications and psychopathology in a sample of children (mean age=6.8 years) at high risk for anxiety disorders whose parents had panic disorder with (n=138) or without (n=26) major depression, and in contrast groups of offspring of parents with major depression alone (n=47), or no mood or anxiety disorders (n=95; total N=306). Psychopathology in the children was assessed by structured diagnostic interviews (K-SADS), and pregnancy and delivery complications were assessed using the developmental history module of the DICA-P. Number of pregnancy complications predicted multiple childhood anxiety disorders independently of parental diagnosis (odds ratio=1.6 [1.4-2.0]). This effect was accounted for by heavy bleeding requiring bed-rest, hypertension, illness requiring medical attention, and serious family problems. Associations remained significant when lifetime child mood and disruptive behavior disorders were covaried. Results suggest that prenatal stressors may increase a child's risk for anxiety disorders beyond the risk conferred by parental psychopathology alone.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Psychopharmacology Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. dhirshfeld@partners.org
authors.forename: Dina R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hirshfeld-Becker
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biederman
authors.forename: Stephen V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Faraone
authors.forename: Joanna A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Jerrold F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000150:complications; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors