Sex differences in the relation between prenatal maternal emotional complaints and child outcome.
BACKGROUND
Sex differences are found in animal studies concerning the relationship between prenatal maternal stress and outcome of the offspring. Most human studies in this field have not addressed sex differences, although differences between boys and girls may elucidate the biochemical as well as psychological processes involved. Associations between prenatal maternal emotional complaints and behavioural problems of toddlers and preschoolers as assessed by both mothers and fathers are studied separately for boys and girls.


METHODS
Healthy Dutch Caucasian singleton, pregnant women (N=444) answered questionnaires about anxiety and depression in every trimester of pregnancy. When their children (227 boys, 217 girls) were between 14 and 54 months old, both parents reported on their current feelings of depression and anxiety and on the behavioural problems of their children.


RESULTS
Prenatal maternal emotional complaints were found to be associated with child behavioural problems both in boys and in girls, but in different ways. Prenatal maternal emotional complaints during the first trimester were associated with total and internalizing behavioural problems for boys. Emotional complaints during the third trimester were associated with total, internalizing, as well as externalizing behavioural problems for girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Differentiation according to sex and information on timing of emotional complaints during pregnancy is needed in studies concerning the relation between prenatal maternal emotional complaints and child outcome.
de Bruijn
Anouk T C E
AT
Pediatric Psychology, Department of Developmental, Clinical and Cross-cultural Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands. T.C.E.deBruijn@uvt.nl
van Bakel
Hedwig J A
HJ
van Baar
Anneloes L
AL
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*