Impact of maternal psychological distress on fetal weight, prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation.
BACKGROUND
There are conflicting results regarding the association of maternal antenatal distress with preterm birth and low birth weight. This study investigated the association between maternal distress and intrauterine growth abnormality, low birth weight and preterm birth.


METHODS
Three mutually exclusive and homogeneous groups of pregnant women (with actual psychiatric disorder, with maternal psychological distress, and healthy comparisons) underwent fetal ultrasound examinations, uterine and umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry. Infant weight was measured and information collected on obstetrical features and sociodemographic factors.


RESULTS
No differences emerged among the three groups of pregnant women in any ultrasound variables. Antenatal maternal psychiatric disorders and antenatal distress were not associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. Infants of women with psychiatric disorders had lower birth weight and higher percentage of birth weight below the 10th centile for gestational age (30%) than infants of healthy mothers (5%).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are preliminary and warrant further investigation in larger-scale study; they are limited by the heterogeneity of psychiatric diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal psychiatric disorders are associated with a lower birth weight, but the effect is unlikely to be due to abnormal utero-placental or feto-placental vascularisation. Further studies should investigate other possible causes of lower birth weight associated with maternal psychiatric disorders.
Maina
Giuseppe
G
Mood and Anxiety Disorders Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. giuseppemaina@hotmail.com
Saracco
Paola
P
Giolito
Maria Rosa
MR
Danelon
Daniele
D
Bogetto
Filippo
F
Todros
Tullia
T
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D035061:Control Groups; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D020567:Fetal Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014463:Ultrasonography