NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young children whose mothers have
long-lasting postpartum depression do not seem to suffer any ill effects on
their growth and weight gain, new research suggests.
In theory, mothers' depression, particularly if it's lasting, could impair
babies' and young children's growth -- by, for instance, making it harder
for new moms to breast feed or, at later ages, making sure their children
have a healthy diet.
To investigate the question, Brazilian researchers followed nearly 3,800
children and their mothers over the children's first four years of life.
They found that 30 percent of the mothers screened positive for postpartum
depression at some point -- including nearly 5 percent who persistently had
symptoms during the study period.
Initially, children whose mothers had lasting depression appeared to have
heightened risks of both stunted growth -- shorter than the norm for their
age -- and being underweight.
Six percent of children whose mothers had long-term depression showed
stunted growth, versus 3 percent of children whose mothers were never
depressed after giving birth. The corresponding rates for underweight were
nearly 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively.
However, after the researchers accounted for factors such as family income
and mothers' education, postpartum depression itself was no longer linked to
children's growth.
Dr. Ina S. Santos and colleagues at the Federal University of Pelotas report
the findings in the Journal of Pediatrics.
The results, the researchers write, suggest that while poorer growth was
more common among children of chronically depressed mothers, the problem
stems from factors other than the depression.
However, they also point out that this may not be universally true.
Studies in India and Pakistan, for example, have linked mothers' depression
to impaired child growth. It's possible, Santos and her colleagues write,
that in some countries where women "face great adversities and are less
empowered," depression may make it difficult for a mother to ensure her
children are well-nourished.
The findings also highlight just how common postpartum depression is, the
researchers write, with 30 percent of mothers in this study screening
positive at some point during their children's first four years.
That high prevalence, Santos and her colleagues write, suggests that
"healthcare workers need to be prepared to screen and recognize maternal
depression and treat it appropriately."
SOURCE: Journal of Pediatrics, online April 19, 2010.
