According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, approximately 8% of children less than 18 years of age suffer from asthma. A new study, published in the July issue of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, reported that depression, anxiety, and stress during pregnancy are linked to a risk for childhood asthma. The study was conducted by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Columbia University (New York). Lead author Marilyn Reyes, BA, noted, “Approximately 70% of mothers who said they experienced high levels of anxiety or depression while they were pregnant reported their child had wheezed before age five.” She added, “Understanding how maternal depression affects a child’s respiratory health is important in developing effective interventions.”
The goal of the study was to examine the association of maternal demoralization, or psychological distress, with wheezing in children residing in a low-income, urban community. The study group was comprised of 279 pregnant African American and Dominican women 18 to 35 years old who were living in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan areas of New York City. A questionnaire was used to assess prenatal and postnatal maternal demoralization. Outcomes measured at birth and at ages two, three, and five years were wheeze, determined by questionnaire, and total and indoor allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Wheeze was characterized as transient (birth to age 2.5 years), late onset (3 – 5 years), and persistent (birth to age 5 years). Prenatal demoralization was significantly associated with overall wheeze, transient wheeze, and persistent wheeze; however, it was not associated with IgE.
Take-home message:
This study reveals another negative consequence of prenatal depression. Antidepressants are definitely not recommended during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. Stress and depression can be relieved in a number of ways including counseling, exercise, meditation, and self-help guidance. Free counseling services are available to low-income women in the L.A. area.
Credit : Dr. Ashutosh Marwah (Pediatric Cardiologist 20 Years Experience)
