Prenatal mood disturbance predicts sleep problems in infancy and toddlerhood

Background: Experimental animal data link prenatal stress with sleep disturbance in offspring, but the link in humans is unclear. Aims: To investigate the link between prenatal maternal anxiety and depression and infant steep disturbance from 6 to 30 months of age. Study design: Longitudinal prospective study of a large birth cohort from pregnancy to 30 months. Questionnaire measures of anxiety and depression were completed by mothers at 18 and 32 weeks gestation and at 8 weeks and 8 months postpartum. Subjects: The ALSPAC cohort, a prospective community study of women in the UK who have been followed since pregnancy. Outcome measures: Measures of total steep time, number of awakenings, and broadly defined steep problems were available on children at ages 6, 18, and 30 months. Results: Reliable measures of total steep time, nighttime awakenings, and steep problems were identified at 6, 18, and 30 months. Higher levels of prenatal maternal anxiety and depression predicted more steep problems at 18 and 30 months, after controlling for postnatal mood and obstetric and psychosocial covariates; the association was not restricted to clinical extremes. No link with total steep time was observed. Conclusions: Mood disturbance in pregnancy has persisting effects on steep problems in the child, a finding that is consistent with experimental animal research. The findings add to a growing literature showing that maternal prenatal stress, anxiety, and depression may have tasting effects on child development. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.