Parents’ history of psychiatric illness is associated with preterm birth risk

summary: A new study reveals an increased risk of premature birth in infants when their parents have a psychiatric diagnosis. The study analyzed all Swedish birth data from 1997 to 2016.

The study found a marked trend toward earlier gestational age in the offspring of parents with mental disorders. Furthermore, this risk is amplified if the parents have a diagnosis, thus highlighting the importance of considering the parents’ psychiatric history.

Important facts:

1. Infants are at increased risk of premature birth if their parents have a psychiatric diagnosis.
2. The study observed that 8.3% of births were preterm if both parents had the diagnosis.
3. The risk of preterm birth was further elevated in parents (both mothers and fathers) with multiple concurrent psychiatric disorders.

sauce: agreement

A study published July 20 found that not only the mother’s history of psychiatric illness was associated with premature birth, but also the father’s history.^th in open access journals PLOSMedicine.

This study is the first to show that infants whose father or mother has a psychiatric diagnosis have a higher risk of premature birth than those who do not, and that the risk rises again if the parents have a psychiatric diagnosis.

Premature birth has a negative impact on the health of the infant. Psychiatrically diagnosed women are at increased risk of premature birth, but less is known about the risks for children of psychiatrically diagnosed fathers and for couples with psychiatrically diagnosed parents.

Weiyao Ying of the Karolinska Institutet and her colleagues analyzed data on all births to Nordic parents in Sweden between 1997 and 2016. They obtained psychiatric diagnoses from the national patient registry and gestational age data from the medical birth registry.

There were 1.5 million births in this cohort, 15% of which were born to diagnosed parents. The researchers observed a trend toward earlier gestational age in the offspring of parents with mental disorders.

For undiagnosed parents, 5.8% of babies were born preterm. Diagnosis by the father increased her risk of birth to 6.3%, and diagnosis by the mother increased her risk of birth to 7.3%. However, the risk of preterm birth was highest when both parents had the diagnosis, affecting her 8.3% of births.

The researchers also found an even greater risk for parents, mothers and fathers, who had several comorbid mental illnesses.

Future research should examine whether additional social support and prenatal care for families with a good history of psychosis may affect gestational age.

“Children of parents with mental illness are at higher risk of being born prematurely. Both mothers and fathers are important,” Yin added.

About this mental health research news

author: Claire Turner
sauce: agreement
contact: Claire Turner – PLOS
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News

Original research: open access.
“Paternal and maternal history of psychiatric illness and preterm birth and risk of premature birth: a national study using a Swedish registry.By Weiyao Ying et al. PLOSMedicine

overview

Paternal and maternal history of psychiatric illness and preterm birth and risk of premature birth: a national study using a Swedish registry.

Background

Women with a psychiatric diagnosis are at increased risk of premature birth (PTB), which can have lifelong effects on the health of their offspring. Little is known about the risk of PTB in children of psychiatrically diagnosed fathers and in couples with psychiatrically diagnosed parents. We examined the association between paternal, maternal, and parental psychiatric history and gestational age in a national birth cohort.

Method and result

All infants born to Nordic parents in Sweden between 1997 and 2016 were included. Psychiatric diagnoses were obtained from the National Patient Registry. Data on gestational age were obtained from medical birth registers. The association between parental history of psychiatric illness and PTB was quantified by relative risk (RR) and two-sided 95% confidence intervals (CI) from log-binomial regression, psychiatric disorders overall and by diagnostic category. We extended the analysis beyond the PTB by calculating the risk across the gestational age distribution, including ‘preterm’ (37-38 weeks).