Biomaterial Database

The relationship between psychological distress during pregnancy and birth weight for gestational age. 1996

M Hedegaard, and T B Henriksen, and S Sabroe, and N J Secher

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

BACKGROUND Fetal growth may be determined by genetic as well as environmental factors. Whether psychological distress during pregnancy influences fetal growth is a matter of debate. METHODS A prospective population-based study with repeated measures of psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) during pregnancy, based on the use of questionnaires. Danish speaking women with singleton pregnancies attending antenatal care between August 1, 1989 and September 30, 1991 were eligible to the study (n = 8719). Of these women 5868 women (67%) completed all questionnaires. The main outcome measure was fetal growth (assessed as birth weight for gestational age (continuous)) and birth weight below the 10th percentile of birth weight for gestational age (light for gestational age (LGA) (dichotomous). Gestational age was calculated primarily from an early ultrasound scan. Confounders were controlled using multivariate statistical methods. RESULTS Birth weight for gestational age and risk of delivering a LGA baby were not associated with psychological distress, neither distress in 16th week nor in 30th week of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS To the extent that fetal growth can be explored at birth, the results indicate that psychological distress does not influence fetal growth.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007236	Infant, Small for Gestational Age	An infant having a birth weight lower than expected for its gestational age.
D008423	Maternal Age	The age of the mother in PREGNANCY.	Age, Maternal,Ages, Maternal,Maternal Ages
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011248	Pregnancy Complications	Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases.	Adverse Birth Outcomes,Complications, Pregnancy,Adverse Birth Outcome,Birth Outcome, Adverse,Complication, Pregnancy,Outcome, Adverse Birth,Pregnancy Complication
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D001724	Birth Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual at BIRTH. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Birthweight,Birth Weights,Birthweights,Weight, Birth,Weights, Birth
D003718	Denmark	A country in northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The capital is Copenhagen.	Faeroe Islands,Faroe Islands
D003866	Depressive Disorder	An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent.	Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D005260	Female		Females