Maternal prenatal psychological distress is associated with aortic intima-media thickness in infants in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

AimsThe origins of cardiovascular health are embedded in early life. It has been suggested that exposure to prenatal stress is linked with markers of cardiovascular structure and functioning. We aimed to explore in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study if and how maternal prenatal psychological distress - a potentially modifiable risk factor - associates with infant aortic intima-media thickness (aIMT). MethodsMaternal symptoms were measured 2-3 times during pregnancy using EPDS for depressive symptoms, SCL-90 anxiety subscale for general anxiety and PRAQ-R2 for pregnancy-specific anxiety. Vascular ultrasonography was performed at the age of 2-3 months (n=273) and aIMT was measured. ResultsIn adjusted models, mean PRAQ-R2 across pregnancy was positively associated with aIMT. In boys, mean EPDS across pregnancy was associated with a thicker aIMT. ConclusionsOur results indicate that pregnancy-specific anxiety associates with thicker aIMT in both sexes, whereas maternal depressive symptoms associate with thicker aIMT in boys only. Lay SummaryStress during pregnancy changes maternal physiology, and is related with child development. We studied how mothers tress, i.e. symptoms of depression and anxiety, during pregnancy links with cardiovascular structure of the infants. O_LIMothers were asked about their symptoms of depression and anxiety 2-3 times during pregnancy. They were also asked about pregnancy-specific anxiety, meaning worries related to labour, future health of the child and pregnancy-related changes. At the age of 2-3 months, infants were imaged with ultrasound, and the thickness of two innermost layers of the wall of abdominal aorta was measured (aIMT). The thickness may relate with cardiovascular disease risk. C_LIO_LIpregnancy-related anxiety was linked with thicker aIMT. Additionally, boys showed thicker aIMT when their mothers had depressive symptoms during pregnancy. C_LI