Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Attained Size Among Children in the First 2 Years of Life

Does maternal postpartum depression affect children's developmental outcomes?

“…Another American study supported this by finding an association between maternal PPD and height‐for‐age among children aged 6 months to 3 years . In contrast to these studies, one multisite study from Europe did not support this association, and another U.S. study supported the association between maternal PPD and stunted growth among 2‐year‐old children in low/middle‐income families . Notably, the largest‐ever register‐based study from Denmark did not support any association between maternal PPD and BMI among 7‐year‐old children, although this study addressed maternal distress instead of PPD and thus the findings are not comparable to other studies.…”

“…Table displays studies that investigated the association between maternal PPD and children's weight, height and/or BMI . Some of these studies also adopted weight‐for‐age and height‐for‐age to determine the departure from the norms of a specific population or the general population (such as the World Health Organization norm).…”

“…Importantly, the underlying mechanisms behind the putative associations of our interest may differ between developing and developed countries. Nevertheless, some candidate factors influencing the associations may be common to both types of countries, including household income, which may be connected both with maternal mental health and children's malnutrition . Another candidate is maternal feeding behaviors, which is also associated both with maternal depression and children's nutritional state .…”

“…The number of reliable studies is very limited, and the magnitude of any association has not been well understood. On the other hand, some key studies with methodological advantages have supported associations between maternal PPD and children's stunted growth or being underweight in developed countries, with a slight delay in children's fine motor development, and in children's language development . However, large‐scale, longitudinal studies with a long‐term follow‐up period – extending to school age and beyond – are needed.…”

“…Third, confounding factors should be carefully considered. Household income, parental education, breastfeeding, and bonding/attachment have been suggested in the literature; in addition, paternal mental health and paternal parenting practices may be associated with maternal mental health as well as with children's developmental consequences . Sex difference also needs more attention as potential confounders or effect modifier, as the speed of neurodevelopment differ during infancy and early childhood between both sexes, and the suggested associations between PPD and neurodevelopment may be modified by sex …”