Growth of children whose mothers have depressive symptoms

Article Outline

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Investigators in Pelotas in southern Brazil entered an entire 2004 birth cohort of infants and mothers into a 4-year study to assess the effect of sustained maternal depression on children's growth. A remarkably high rate of depression (17.9%) and persistent depression (4.7%) was observed in mothers. In crude analysis, maternal depression was associated with underweight and stunting. After adjusted analyses for confounding variables, however, maternal depression was not associated with anthropometric abnormalities, suggesting that both are the consequences of multiple adversities.

In the accompanying editorial, Grupp-Phelan both praises many aspects of the study and cautions interpretation of this and many studies that attempt to bring into black-and-white relief a highly complex, intertwined set of risk factors for maternal and child morbidities, as well as data for analysis.

Article page 401 ▸

Editorial page 359 ▸