title: Maternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy and risk of childhood atopic diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy might affect the developing immune system and subsequent risk of childhood atopic diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to examine the associations of maternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy with allergic sensitization, allergy and eczema in children until age 10 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study among 5205 children was performed in a population-based prospective cohort from foetal life onwards. We assessed maternal and paternal psychiatric symptoms (overall, depressive, anxiety) during pregnancy and at 36 months after delivery, and maternal psychiatric symptoms at 2 and 6 months after delivery using the Brief Symptom Inventory. Inhalant and food allergic sensitization were measured by skin prick tests, and physician-diagnosed inhalant and food allergy or eczema by questionnaires from birth until age 10 years. We used multivariate logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression or generalized estimating equation models where appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed no association of maternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy with allergic sensitization. Maternal overall psychiatric, depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of inhalant allergy only (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.96 (1.44, 2.65), 1.58 (1.25, 1.98) and 1.61 (1.27, 2.03), respectively, per 1-unit increase). Maternal overall psychiatric and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of eczema (1.21 (1.05, 1.39) and 1.15 (1.02, 1.29), respectively, per 1-unit increase). Effect estimates did not materially change when maternal psychiatric symptoms after delivery, or paternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy and after delivery were taken into account.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy were associated with increased risks of childhood inhalant allergy and eczema, independent of maternal psychiatric symptoms after delivery and of paternal psychiatric symptoms.
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Dermatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Elbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duijts
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: den Dekker
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T E C
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nijsten
authors.affiliation: The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: V W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Jongste
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R Gerth
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: van Wijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S G M A
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pasmans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012306:Risk
keywords: atopic diseases; birth cohort; children; pregnancy; psychiatric symptoms