To Örebro University

BACKGROUND: Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy and postnatally has been shown to be associated with offspring atopic diseases (asthma, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis). The aim of this study was to assess whether this association may be attributable to the child's own mental health disorders.

METHOD: The study population included 15,092 twin children born 2002-2010 in Sweden. Questionnaire data at age 9 years was linked to national patient- and prescription registers. Maternal mental health during pregnancy and 3 years postnatally were identified from diagnosis and medication data (depression, anxiety and stress disorders). Atopic diseases in children were identified from questionnaires, diagnosis and medication data. Child mental health status (depression and anxiety) was identified from questionnaires. Three-way decomposition methods tested for mediation or interaction by child mental health disorders.

RESULTS: Maternal mental health disorders were associated with most child atopic diseases including asthma aRR1.36 (95% CI 1.12, 1.60), and child mental health disorders, aRR1.73 (95% CI 1.56, 1.92). Children with mental health disorders were comorbid for atopic diseases with only asthma reaching statistical significance, aRR1.29 (95% CI 1.14, 1.47). Three-way decomposition found that mediation or interaction by child mental health disorders did not account for the mother mental health and child atopy associations except in parent-report asthma, where child mental health disorders mediated 13.4% (95% CI 2.1, 24.7) of the effect, but not for objectively defined (diagnosis and medication) asthma.

CONCLUSION: The associations between maternal mental health and child asthma and allergic diseases do not appear to be attributable to child mental health disorders.