Could depression in mothers be linked to asthma in their children?
Publication Date:15/01/2008
Children may have may have a slightly higher risk of asthma if their mother suffers from long-term depression or anxiety, according to a new study. But there's no increased risk if a mother is depressed only for a short time, such as with postnatal depression.
What do we know already?
Asthma is becoming more and more common. No-one knows why, but we do know some of the things that increase a child's risk. Children are more likely to get asthma if their parents smoke, or if they're from a family with a history of allergies, such as hay fever or eczema.
Researchers have now looked at whether children are more likely to get asthma if their mother suffers from depression or anxiety disorder. The research only looks at these conditions after the child is born. It doesn't look at depression or anxiety during pregnancy or earlier.
What does the new study say?
The researchers looked at the medical records of nearly 14,000 children born in Canada in 1995. The children were followed until they were seven years old. Children had a slightly higher chance of being treated for asthma if their mother had suffered from anxiety or depression over a long time.
If a mother suffered regularly with depression or anxiety over the first seven years of her child's life, the child had a 10 in 100 chance of getting asthma. Other children had about a 6 in 100 chance of getting asthma.
There was no increased risk of asthma in children whose mothers were depressed or anxious for a shorter time.
Where does the study come from?
The study was done by researchers based at the University of Manitoba and Dalhousie University, both in Canada. It appeared in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.
How reliable are the findings?
There are several problems with this study, which make it less reliable. It was done using medical records, rather than asking people about their health. But many people with depression or anxiety are reluctant to see a doctor, so might not have these conditions listed in their records. As many as 6 or 8 out of 10 mothers with depression may have been missed by the study.
The researchers think that children with depressed mothers might have higher levels of stress hormones, which may trigger asthma. But it's very hard to know if this is true. For example, depressed mothers were also more likely to smoke. Anxious mothers may also worry more about their child's health, and be more likely to take their child to the doctor or insist on treatment. So, these things could explain the higher risk of asthma, rather than the child's mother being depressed.
What does this mean for me?
If you're a parent and are worried about your child getting asthma, the best thing you can do is avoid smoking. Although this study suggests that long-term depression or anxiety in mothers could be linked to asthma, this is far from proven.
If your child gets asthma, there are lots of good treatments that can help. Asthma can usually be kept under control, and doesn't often stop children doing their normal activities.
What should I do now?
A big problem with depression and anxiety is that many people are reluctant to get help. For your own health as much as your child's, it's important to talk to your doctor if you're worried about any thoughts and feelings you have. There are good treatments that can help with both depression and anxiety, both talking treatments and medicines.
Postnatal depression affects about 1 in 10 women. However, many women feel emotional for a few days after giving birth. This is often called 'baby blues', and isn't usually anything to worry about.
From:
Kozyrskyj AL, Mai X, McGrath P, et al. Continued exposure to maternal distress in early life is associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. American Journal or Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 2008; 177: 142-147.
To read more, see our information on asthma in children, depression and anxiety disorder.
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This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
