80 - Maternal Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Infant Health-Related Quality-of-Life

Publication Number: 2076.80

Nicole X. Wong, Monash Children's Hospital, New York, NY, United States; Jamie Daw, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States; Heidi Allen, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States

Background: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) , experienced during pregnancy and the year postpartum, may impact child health and development. Prior studies have described infants exposed to PMAD to have impaired cognitive performance, motor development and communication. However, outcomes are heterogenous, and no prior studies examine broad measures of physical and developmental health. In this study, we therefore aimed to measure the association between PMAD symptom burden and infant health-related quality-of-life one year after birth using population representative survey data from multiple U.S. jurisdictions.

Objective: To estimate the association between maternal perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) symptoms and infant health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in the postpartum year

Design/Methods: We conducted a cohort study using maternal survey data representative of all live births in 2020 in three US states (Kansas, New Jersey and Virginia). We assessed early and late postpartum PMAD symptoms at 4-6 months postpartum (based on the 2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System) and 12-14 months postpartum (based on the 2020 Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey), respectively. We used a survey-weighted adjusted logistic regression model to estimate the association between maternal PMAD symptoms and parent-reported infant HRQoL measures at 12-14 months ( overall health, physical limitations and growth and development domains).

Results: Mothers with postpartum PMAD symptoms were more likely to report mediocre or bad infant health (9.4% v 4.3%, aOR 2.1 (1.1-3.9)) and at least one growth and development problem (19.2% vs. 13.0%, aOR 1.7 (1.1-2.7)) including problems with physical growth, motor, language and learning. We did not find evidence of differences in reported physical functioning. Differences in infant growth and development were larger for mothers with late (12-14 month) postpartum PMAD symptoms compared those with no or only early PMAD symptoms. Differences in infant growth and development were identified for mothers with late postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms compared to those with no symptoms; however, magnitudes tended to be larger for those with anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion(s): Maternal PMAD symptoms may impact real and/or perceived infant health, growth and development, particularly those that persist in the late postpartum period. These findings suggest a need for screening, diagnosis and treatment for parental anxiety and depression beyond current recommendations of six months postpartum.