Higher score of depressive symptoms in mothers linked to slower growth in critical rapid growth stage before delivery<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Maternal depressive symptoms are associated with slower fetal growth rate in the critical rapid growth stage (CRGS) before delivery, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Lu Zhang, M.P.H., from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, and colleagues conducted a prospective multicenter birth cohort study to examine the association between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth during the CRGS before delivery. A total of 2,676 mother-offspring dyads were included.<\/p>\n The researchers observed a significant correlation between a higher score of depressive symptoms in mothers and a slower rate of fetal growth across femur length, abdominal circumference, and estimated fetal weight (\u00ce\u00b2 = \u00e2\u0088\u00920.40, \u00e2\u0088\u00921.97, and \u00e2\u0088\u009250.11, respectively) after adjustment for confounders. In female fetuses or those with better family socioeconomic conditions, these associations were found to be stronger.<\/p>\n “These findings underscore the importance of early detection and management of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy, particularly among women with higher socioeconomic status or female fetuses,” the authors write.<\/p>\n