Poster #97 - Maternal Mental Health and Development Outcomes in Preterm Born Children: The Role of Perceived Partner Support

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Background: Maternal stress, anxiety, and depression are common during pregnancy, increasing the risk for symptoms in the postpartum period (Stapleton et al., 2014; Woods et al., 2010). Prenatal exposure to maternal mental health issues is correlated with atypical neurodevelopment and birth complications, including preterm birth (Dunkel, Schetter, & Tanner, 2012). Preterm birth (i.e., children born prior to 37 weeks) is associated with poor neurocognitive and behavioural outcomes and social-emotional disorders (de Kieviet et al., 2012). Expecting mothers are often advised of the benefits of strong social support in reducing anxiety and stress, that can subsequently reduce adverse birth outcomes (Hetherington, et al., 2015). However, it is unknown if specific types of support during pregnancy, such as partner support, can be a protective factor for birth outcomes and later child developmental difficulties. The overall objective of the present study was to investigate whether perceived partner support mitigates the adverse impact of preterm birth and maternal mental health problems on later child development.
Objectives: The aims of the project were to: 1) replicate previous findings that children born preterm are at risk for later difficulties; 2) compare the relationship between prenatal maternal mental health and adverse development in children at 24 months of age who were born preterm to those born full-term; and 3) determine if and how maternal perceived partner support during pregnancy affects this relationship both in pre- and full-term children.
Methods: This project involved de-identified secondary data analysis from the All Our Families cohort (AOF), a longitudinal pregnancy cohort with data of mothers and children from Alberta, Canada. Measures for the current analysis included self-report Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale, given during pregnancy. Cognitive and developmental outcomes were measured using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, and the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment assessed social-emotional difficulties, both at 24 months of age. Obstetric and birth outcomes, infant birth complications, maternal sociodemographic information, and maternal physical health were also examined.
Results: A multiple regression model was used to test for mediation effects, with maternal anxiety as the independent variable, perceived partner support during pregnancy as the mediator, and child behaviour scores at 24 months of age as the dependent variable. Significant results for two of independent linear regressions were found: maternal anxiety-child behaviour, β = .14, p < .001; and maternal anxiety-partner support, β = .04, p < .001. Partner support-child behaviour was not significant, β = .55, p = .20. Perceived partner support explained the relationship between maternal anxiety and child problem behaviour; however, maternal anxiety better predicted child problem behaviour. Further analysis will investigate the link between prenatal maternal mental health and adverse development in children prematurely compared to children born full-term, and determine if mother’s perceived partner support during pregnancy affects this relationship.
Conclusion: This project has the potential to quantify the importance of partner support and identify other factors that may help to mitigate negative developmental outcomes in children born prematurely, and those born to mothers who experience mental health issues.

Authors

• Amanda Aitken, University of Calgary
  Presenting Author

• Chantel Ritter, University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carly McMorris, University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shelia McDonald, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author

• Suzanne Tough, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary
  Non-Presenting Author