title: Length of gestation and depressive symptoms at age 60 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A non-optimal foetal environment, reflected in smaller birth size and shorter duration of gestation, is a risk factor for compromised health later in life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether smaller birth size and shorter gestation predict depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1371 members of a cohort born between 1934 and 1944 at term (259-294 days'gestation) in Helsinki, Finland, completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) at an average age of 61.5 years (BDI) and 63.4 years (BDI and CES-D).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gestational length predicted depressive symptoms linearly and independently of gender and birth weight: per day decrease in gestational length, depressive symptoms scores increased by 0.8-0.9% (95% CI 0.2-1.4, P<0.009). Weight, length and head circumference at birth showed no linear association with depression, adjusted for gender and gestational length. The results did not change when further controlled for socio-economic characteristics at birth and in adulthood, age and body mass index in adulthood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Susceptibility to depressive symptoms may relate to shorter length of gestation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. katri.raikkonen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Räikkönen
authors.forename: Anu-Katriina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kajantie
authors.forename: Kati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forsén
authors.forename: David I W
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osmond
authors.forename: David J P
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors