Gender-specific effect of pregnancy-related anxiety on preschooler's emotional and behavioral development: A population-based cohort study

Gender-specific effect of pregnancy-related anxiety on preschooler's emotional and behavioral development: A population-based cohort study

Highlight：妊娠早期和晚期焦虑可能与男童外化行为有关，妊娠早期焦虑增加了女童内化问题的风险，为生命早期不良环境暴露引起的性别特异性神经发育结局增加了基础资料。

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy-related anxiety plays a major role in shaping offspring's neural development. However, its gender-specific effect on children's emotional and behavioral development is controversial and the knowledge of critical period is limited. This study aims to examine gender-specific effect of pregnancy-related anxiety on preschooler's emotional and behavioral development.

Methods: This study was based on the China-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (C-ABCS). A total of 3443 mother-child pairs were included in final data analysis. Pregnancy-related anxiety was assessed by Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire respectively in the 1st and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) were completed by parents to assess preschool emotional and behavioral development in boys and girls. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between pregnancy-related anxiety and preschoolers' emotional and behavioral problems.

Results: The overall prevalence of pregnancy-related anxiety was 31.6%. Compared with those whose mothers without pregnancy-related anxiety in either 1st or 3rd trimester, preschool boys born of mothers with pregnancy-related anxiety in the 1st trimester and in the 3rd trimester had an increased risk of conduct problems. Pregnancy-related anxiety in the 1st, 3rd trimester and in both trimesters all related with preschool boys' hyperactivity and total difficult problems. Pregnancy-related anxiety in the 1st trimester and in both 1st and 3rd trimester increased the risk of preschool girls' emotional problems and total difficult problems.

Conclusion: Pregnancy-related anxiety may relate with preschool boys' externalizing problems in early and late of pregnancy and increase the risk of internalizing problems in girls in early pregnancy.

Limitations: There was no data on pregnancy-related anxiety in the second trimester.

Wang X, Xie J, Wu Y, Wu X, Yan S, Xu Y, Zhu P, Hao J, Tao F, Huang K. Gender-specific effect of pregnancy-related anxiety on preschooler's emotional and behavioral development: A population-based cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2021 Jan 15;279:368-376.