Citation

Wu PC, de Banate MA, Kim H, Viner-Brown S, High P. Clin. Pediatr. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/00099228231179672

PMID

37309802

Abstract

This study aims to compare the developmental-behavioral profiles of 2-year-olds of mothers who experienced postpartum and/or current depression with profiles of toddlers of mothers without depression at either time using population-based Rhode Island data. Weighted data from Rhode Island Department of Health's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and Rhode Island's follow-up Toddlers Wellness Overview Survey distributed to mothers giving birth between 2006 and 2008 were analyzed. Compared with non-depressed mothers, those with any depression following childbirth reported more concerns with their toddlers' receptive language, social-emotional development, and their sleep and feeding behaviors. When adjusted for demographics, persistent depression remained associated with social-emotional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.53, 2.78-20.34) and feeding concerns (aOR = 3.13, 1.36-7.22), and current depression was associated with social-emotional concerns (aOR = 2.52, 1.26-5.01). We conclude that pediatric providers should explore maternal mental health as a mediating and potentially modifiable factor beyond the postpartum period when toddlers present with developmental-behavioral challenges.

Language: en

Keywords

development; behavior; maternal depression; population-based study; toddler