Maternal postnatal depression and child growth: a European cohort study

Background: Previous studies have reported postpartum depression to
be associated with both positive and negative effects on early
infant growth. This study examined the hypothesis that maternal
postnatal depression may be a risk factor for later child growth
faltering or overweight. Methods: A total of 929 women and their
children participating in a European multicenter study were
included at a median age of 14 days. Mothers completed the
Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) at 2, 3 and 6 months
after delivery. EPDS scores of 13 and above at any time were
defined as maternal depression. Weight, length, triceps and
subscapular skinfold thicknesses were measured, and body mass index
(BMI) were calculated when the children were two years old and
converted to standard deviation scores based on the WHO Multicentre
Growth Reference Study (MGRS). Results: Z-scores for
weight-for-length at inclusion of infants of mothers with high EPDS
scores (-0.55, SD 0.74) were lower than of those with normal scores
(-0.36, SD 0.74; p = 0.013). BMI at age 24 months did not differ in
the high (16.3 kg/m2, SD 1.3) and in the normal EPDS groups (16.2
kg/m2, SD 1.3; p = 0.48). All other anthropometric indices also did
not differ between groups, with no change by multivariate
adjustment. Conclusions: We conclude that a high maternal postnatal
depression score does not have any major effects on offspring
growth in high income countries.