Obstetric optimality and emotional problems and substance use in young adulthood.
BACKGROUND
Pregnancy and delivery are complex processes, and isolated obstetric complications rare and often accompanied or followed by a number of others.


OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between the overall obstetric situation (as opposed to single obstetric risk factors) and emotional and substance use disorders in young adulthood, and to analyse whether these links are mediated by temperaments in childhood.


METHODS
In a prospective birth cohort (n=3162), questionnaires were sent to mothers and teachers when the child was 7-10 years old, and to the children when they were 20-25 years old.


METHODS
Six hundred and eighty-two cohort members with complete data sets at three ages (perinatal, childhood, and young adulthood).


METHODS
Emotional problems and substance use in young adulthood.


RESULTS
Substance use in young adulthood was predicted better by the overall obstetrical optimality score than emotional problems were. Links studied were stronger for men than for women.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated the use of an aggregated obstetrical optimality score in analysing the associations between early risk factors and emotional problems and substance use in young adulthood.
Batstra
L
L
Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. l.batstra@psb.azg.nl
Hadders-Algra
M
M
Ormel
J
J
Neeleman
J
J
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002667:Child Reactive Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires