- Maternal perinatal depression affects about 10% of pregnant and 13% postpartum women, says WHO
- A study linked maternal perinatal depression to increased autistic traits in toddlers, especially girls
- Researchers analyzed over 23,000 mother-child pairs and supported findings with mouse experiments
Maternal perinatal depression is a condition which affects nearly 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth, says the World Health Organization (WHO). The American Psychiatric Association defines perinatal depression as depression that occurs during pregnancy or after childbirth. The use of the term perinatal recognizes that depression associated with having a baby often begins during pregnancy. This is different from postpartum depression which refers to depression experienced after childbirth. WHO says that mothers suffering from perinatal depression cannot function properly. As a result, the children's growth and development may be negatively affected as well.
A recent study found that maternal perinatal depression increases the risk of autistic-related traits in toddlers, with a particularly strong impact on girls. The study was conducted by researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at Tohoku University, led by Dr. Zhiqian Yu and Professor Hiroaki Tomita and published in Molecular Psychiatry, a Nature Portfolio journal.
Maternal Perinatal Depression And Autism Traits
The researchers included more than 23,000 mother-child pairs from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. The results of the study were also supported by mouse experiments. The results of the study provide important insights into how maternal mental health influences neurodevelopment in children.
The American Psychiatric Association says that untreated perinatal depression is not only a problem for the individual's health and quality of life but can affect the well-being of the baby who can be born prematurely, with low birth weight. "In the longer term, children of mothers with perinatal depression are at greater risk for cognitive, emotional, developmental and verbal deficits and impaired social skills." The researchers of the new study say that the results can eventually help create guidelines to protect the wellbeing of both mother and child.
For the study, the researchers assessed depressive symptoms during early and mid-gestation and at one month postpartum. They found that higher maternal scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) or the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were linked to increased autistic-related traits in toddlers. This was measured by the Tokyo Autistic Behavior Scale (TABS).
Higher Risks For Girls
While autism is generally more common in boys, the study found that the risk associated with maternal perinatal depression was higher in girls. Also, girls had lower birth weights and a stronger link between autistic traits and impaired mother-infant bonding.
To understand further, the team established a prenatal stress model in mice "mothers". Stressed mothers showed depressive-like behaviours and low maternal care, whereas their female offspring displayed classic autism-like behavioural traits, such as increased self-grooming and impaired recognition of social novelty. Molecular studies also found lower oxytocin levels in the prefrontal cortical microglia of stressed mothers, along with reduced oxytocin receptor levels in the prefrontal cortex of their female offspring.
Maternal Mental Health Support
These results point to a sex-specific neurobiological mechanism by which prenatal stress could impair social development. Since oxytocin signaling plays a key role in maternal bonding and social interactions, disruptions in this can explain daughters' increased sensitivity to maternal stress.
This study highlights the societal importance of supporting maternal mental health beginning in pregnancy. Providing appropriate psychological care and monitoring can help reduce adverse developmental outcomes in children, particularly in girls. The findings highlight how maternal well-being is a critical foundation for children's long-term developmental health.
The researchers also note that this study was not based on clinical diagnoses of maternal depression or autism spectrum disorder in children. Instead, it examined links between questionnaire-assessed maternal depressive symptoms and markers of autism-related behaviours. While the findings do not indicate that maternal perinatal depression directly causes autism spectrum disorder, they underscore the importance of supporting maternal mental health during the perinatal period, particularly in light of potential sex-specific effects on children's emotional and developmental outcomes, the study says.
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