Child behaviour unaffected by exposure to antidepressants or unmedicated depression during pregnancy

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-06-09 10:55

New Zealand

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Children whose mothers took antidepressants or suffered from unmedicated depression during pregnancy are no more likely to develop behavioural issues than their peers, according to New Zealand researchers. However, maternal depression after pregnancy was associated with behavioural difficulties at all three ages investigated. The research, which used data from the Growing up in New Zealand study, suggests that efforts to improve child behavioural issues need to include family-based approaches that support mothers’ wellbeing.

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Research Elsevier, Web page

Journal/
conference: Journal of Affective Disorders

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Auckland

Funder: Growing Up in New Zealand has been funded by the New Zealand Ministries of Social Development, Health, Education, Justice and Pacific Island Affairs; the former Ministry of Science Innovation and the former Department of Labour (now both part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment); the former Ministry of Women's Affairs (now the Ministry for Women); the Department of Corrections; the Families Commission (now known as the Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit); Te Puni Kokiri; New Zealand Police; Sport New Zealand; the Housing New Zealand Corporation; and the former Mental Health Commission, The University of Auckland and Auckland UniServices Limited. Other support for the study has been provided by the NZ Health Research Council, Statistics New Zealand, the Office of the Children's Commissioner and the Office of Ethnic Affairs. Dr. Stephanie D'Souza was funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) as part of A Better Start National Science Challenge. Professor Karen Waldie and Dr. Caroline Walker were funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund Grant (Grant number 3718586).

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