Citation

Piteo AM, Yelland LN, Makrides M. Early Hum. Dev. 2012; 88(8): 651-655.

Affiliation

Child Nutrition Research Centre, Women's and Children's Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, and Women's and Children's Health Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2012.01.013

PMID

22361258

Abstract

AIM: Our aim was to examine the associations between maternal depression in the first 6months postpartum, home environment and cognitive, language and motor development in infants at 18months of age. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This article reports results from the control group (n=312 full term; n=48 preterm) of the prospective Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to Optimise Maternal Infant Outcome (DOMInO) Randomised Controlled Trial. Mothers in South Australia completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 6weeks and 6months postpartum. Infant development was assessed when children were 18months old with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Version III and mothers completed the Home Screening Questionnaire at this assessment. RESULTS: There were no significant associations between maternal depression in the first 6months postpartum and cognitive, language or motor development after controlling for infant prematurity, breastfeeding status and socio-economic level. Home environment remained a significant predictor of development after controlling for potential confounding variables. Using mediation models, we did not find an association between maternal depression and developmental outcome through home environment. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal depression in the first 6months postpartum was not associated with infant development at 18months of age. Further studies should focus on women with chronic depression.

Language: en