Dataset Information

Infant Growth after Preterm Birth and Mental Health in Young Adulthood.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Faster growth after preterm birth benefits long-term cognitive functioning. Whether these benefits extend to mental health remains largely unknown. We examined if faster growth in infancy is associated with better self-reported mental health in young adults born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW) (< 1500 g).

Study design

As young adults, participants of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults self-reported symptoms of depression and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n = 157) and other psychiatric problems (n = 104). As main predictors of mental health outcomes in linear regression models, we used infant weight, length, and head circumference at birth, term, and 12 months of corrected age, and growth between these time points. Growth data were collected from records and measures at term and at 12 months of corrected age were interpolated. Additionally, we examined the moderating effects of intrauterine growth restriction.

Results

Size at birth, term, or 12 months of corrected age, or growth between these time points were not associated with mental health outcomes (p-values >0.05). Intrauterine growth restriction did not systematically moderate any associations.

Conclusions

Despite the high variability in early growth of VLBW infants, the previously described association between slow growth in infancy and poorer cognitive functioning in later life is not reflected in symptoms of depression, ADHD, and other psychiatric problems. This suggests that the development of cognitive and psychiatric problems may have dissimilar critical periods in VLBW infants.

SUBMITTER: Sammallahti S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4556664 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Infant Growth after Preterm Birth and Mental Health in Young Adulthood.

Sammallahti Sara S Lahti Marius M Pyhälä Riikka R Lahti Jari J Pesonen Anu-Katriina AK Heinonen Kati K Hovi Petteri P Eriksson Johan G JG Strang-Karlsson Sonja S Järvenpää Anna-Liisa AL Andersson Sture S Kajantie Eero E Räikkönen Katri K

PloS one 20150901 9

<h4>Objectives</h4>Faster growth after preterm birth benefits long-term cognitive functioning. Whether these benefits extend to mental health remains largely unknown. We examined if faster growth in infancy is associated with better self-reported mental health in young adults born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW) (< 1500 g).<h4>Study design</h4>As young adults, participants of the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults self-reported symptoms of depression and attention deficit/hyp ...[more]

PMID: 26327229

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Project description:BackgroundHigh prevalence of parental separation and resulting biological father absence raises important questions regarding its impact on offspring mental health across the life course. We specifically examined whether these relationships vary by sex and the timing of exposure to father absence (early or middle childhood).MethodsThis study is based on up to 8409 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Participants provided self-reports of depression (Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised) at age 24 years and depressive symptoms (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) between the ages of 10 and 24 years. Biological father absence in childhood was assessed through maternal questionnaires at regular intervals from birth to 10 years. We estimated the association between biological father absence and trajectories of depressive symptoms using multilevel growth-curve modelling.ResultsEarly but not middle childhood father absence was strongly associated with increased odds of offspring depression and greater depressive symptoms at age 24 years. Early childhood father absence was associated with higher trajectories of depressive symptoms during adolescence and early adulthood compared with father presence. Differences in the level of depressive symptoms between middle childhood father absent and father present groups narrowed into adulthood.LimitationsThis study could be biased by attrition and residual confounding.ConclusionsWe found evidence that father absence in childhood is persistently associated with offspring depression in adolescence and early adulthood. This relationship varies by sex and timing of father's departure, with early childhood father absence emerging as the strongest risk factor for adverse offspring mental health trajectories Further research is needed to identify mechanisms that could inform preventative interventions to reduce the risk of depression in children who experience father absence.

Dataset Information

Infant Growth after Preterm Birth and Mental Health in Young Adulthood.

Objectives

Study design

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Infant Growth after Preterm Birth and Mental Health in Young Adulthood.

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