title: The association between prenatal psychosocial stress and blood pressure in the child at age 5-7 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prenatal maternal stress could have permanent effects on the offspring's tissue structure and function, which may predispose to cardiovascular diseases. We investigated whether maternal psychosocial stress is a prenatal factor affecting the blood pressure (BP) of offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) study, around gestational week 16, depressive symptoms, state-anxiety, pregnancy-related anxiety, parenting daily hassles and job strain were recorded by questionnaire. A cumulative stress score was also calculated (based on 80(th) percentiles). Systolic and diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured in the offspring at age 5-7 years. Inclusion criteria were: no use of antihypertensive medication during pregnancy; singleton birth; no reported cardiovascular problems in the child (N = 2968 included).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for confounders, the single stress scales were not associated with systolic and diastolic BP, MAP and hypertension (p>0.05). The presence of 3-4 psychosocial stressors prenatally (4%) was associated with 1.5 mmHg higher systolic and diastolic BP (p = 0.046; p = 0.04) and 1.5 mmHg higher MAP in the offspring (p = 0.02) compared to no stressors (46%). The presence of 3-4 stressors did not significantly increase the risk for hypertension (OR 1.8; 95% CI 0.93.4). Associations did not differ between sexes. Bonferroni correction for multiple testing rendered all associations non-significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of multiple psychosocial stressors during pregnancy was associated with higher systolic and diastolic BP and MAP in the child at age 5-7. Further investigation of maternal prenatal stress may be valuable for later life cardiovascular health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center-University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.e.vandijk@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Aimée E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Eijsden
authors.forename: Karien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stronks
authors.forename: Reinoud J B J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gemke
authors.forename: Tanja G M
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Vrijkotte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000196:embryology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013315:Stress, Psychological