Paediatrics (RCH) - Research Publications

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    Continuities in maternal substance use from early adolescence to parenthood: findings from the intergenerational cohort consortium
    Thomson, KC ; Greenwood, CJ ; Letcher, P ; Spry, EA ; Macdonald, JA ; McAnally, HM ; Hines, LA ; Youssef, GJ ; McIntosh, JE ; Hutchinson, D ; Hancox, RJ ; Patton, GC ; Olsson, CA (CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 2023-04-08)
    Background This study assessed the extent to which women's preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use, reported prospectively in adolescence and young adulthood, predicted use of these substances during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. Methods Data were pooled from two intergenerational cohort studies: the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study (395 mothers, 691 pregnancies) and the Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study (398 mothers, 609 pregnancies). Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were assessed in adolescence (13-18 years), young adulthood (19-29 years) and at ages 29-35 years for those transitioning to parenthood. Exposures were weekly or more frequent preconception binge drinking (5 + drinks in one session), tobacco use and cannabis use. Outcomes were any alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use prior to awareness of the pregnancy, after awareness of pregnancy (up to and including the third trimester pregnancy) and at 1 year postpartum. Results Frequent preconception binge drinking, tobacco use and cannabis use across both adolescence and young adulthood were strong predictors of continued use post-conception, before and after awareness of the pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum. Substance use limited to young adulthood also predicted continued use post-conception. Conclusions Persistent alcohol, tobacco use and cannabis use that starts in adolescence has a strong continuity into parenthood. Reducing substance use in the perinatal period requires action well before pregnancy, commencing in adolescence and continuing into the years before conception and throughout the perinatal period.
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    Parental history of positive development and child behavior in next generation offspring: A two-cohort prospective intergenerational study
    Letcher, P ; Greenwood, CJ ; McAnally, H ; Belsky, J ; Macdonald, JA ; Spry, EA ; Thomson, KC ; O'Connor, M ; Sligo, J ; Youssef, G ; McIntosh, JE ; Iosua, E ; Hutchinson, D ; Cleary, J ; Sanson, A ; Patton, GC ; Hancox, RJ ; Olsson, CA (WILEY, 2023-01)
    This study examined whether positive development (PD) in adolescence and young adulthood predicts offspring behavior in two Australasian intergenerational cohorts. The Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study assessed PD at age 19-28 (years 2002-2010) and behavior in 1165 infants (12-18 months; 608 girls) of 694 Australian-born parents (age 29-35; 2012-2019; 399 mothers). The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Parenting Study assessed PD at age 15-18 (years 1987-1991) and behavior in 695 preschoolers (3-5 years; 349 girls) and their New Zealand born parents (age 21-46; 1994-2018; 363 mothers; 89% European ethnicity). In both cohorts, PD before parenthood predicted more positive offspring behavior (βrange  = .11-.16) and fewer behavior problems (βrange  = -.09 to -.11). Promoting strengths may secure a healthy start to life.
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    From adolescence to parenthood: a multi-decade study of preconception mental health problems and postpartum parent-infant bonds
    Macdonald, JA ; Greenwood, C ; Letcher, P ; Spry, EA ; McAnally, HM ; Thomson, K ; Hutchinson, D ; Youssef, GJ ; McIntosh, J ; Hancox, RJ ; Patton, GC ; Olsson, CA (SPRINGER HEIDELBERG, 2022-03)
    PURPOSE: To examine associations between anxiety and depressive symptoms across adolescence and young adulthood with subsequent maternal- and paternal-infant bonding at 1 year postpartum. METHODS: The data were from a prospective, intergenerational cohort study. Participants (381 mothers of 648 infants; 277 fathers of 421 infants) self-reported depression and anxiety at three adolescent waves (ages 13, 15 and 17 years) and three young adult waves (ages 19, 23 and 27 years). Subsequent parent-infant bonds with infants were reported at 1 year postpartum (parent age 29-35 years). Generalised estimating equations (GEE) separately assessed associations for mothers and fathers. RESULTS: Mean postpartum bonding scores were approximately half a standard deviation lower in parents with a history of persistent adolescent and young adult depressive symptoms (maternal βadj = - 0.45, 95% CI - 0.69, - 0.21; paternal βadj = - 0.55, 95% CI - 0.90, 0.20) or anxiety (maternal βadj = - 0.42, 95% CI - 0.66, - 0.18; paternal βadj = - 0.49, 95% CI - 0.95, 0.03). Associations were still mostly evident, but attenuated after further adjustment for postpartum mental health concurrent with measurement of bonding. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent symptoms of depression or anxiety spanning adolescence and young adulthood predict poorer emotional bonding with infants 1-year postbirth for both mothers and fathers.
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    Data Resource Profile: Melbourne Children's LifeCourse initiative (LifeCourse)
    O'Connor, M ; Moreno-Betancur, M ; Goldfeld, S ; Wake, M ; Patton, G ; Dwyer, T ; Tang, MLK ; Saffery, R ; Craig, JM ; Loke, J ; Burgner, D ; Olsson, CA ; Investigators, LC (OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2022-10-13)
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    Maternal mental health and infant emotional reactivity: a 20-year two-cohort study of preconception and perinatal exposures
    Spry, E ; Moreno-Betancur, M ; Becker, D ; Romaniuk, H ; Carlin, JB ; Molyneaux, E ; Howard, LM ; Ryan, J ; Letcher, P ; McIntosh, J ; Macdonald, JA ; Greenwood, CJ ; Thomson, KC ; McAnally, H ; Hancox, R ; Hutchinson, DM ; Youssef, GJ ; Olsson, CA ; Patton, GC (CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS, 2020-04)
    BACKGROUND: Maternal mental health during pregnancy and postpartum predicts later emotional and behavioural problems in children. Even though most perinatal mental health problems begin before pregnancy, the consequences of preconception maternal mental health for children's early emotional development have not been prospectively studied. METHODS: We used data from two prospective Australian intergenerational cohorts, with 756 women assessed repeatedly for mental health problems before pregnancy between age 13 and 29 years, and during pregnancy and at 1 year postpartum for 1231 subsequent pregnancies. Offspring infant emotional reactivity, an early indicator of differential sensitivity denoting increased risk of emotional problems under adversity, was assessed at 1 year postpartum. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of infants born to mothers with persistent preconception mental health problems were categorised as high in emotional reactivity, compared to 23% born to mothers without preconception history (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4-3.1). Ante- and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were similarly associated with infant emotional reactivity, but these perinatal associations reduced somewhat after adjustment for prior exposure. Causal mediation analysis further showed that 88% of the preconception risk was a direct effect, not mediated by perinatal exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal preconception mental health problems predict infant emotional reactivity, independently of maternal perinatal mental health; while associations between perinatal depressive symptoms and infant reactivity are partially explained by prior exposure. Findings suggest that processes shaping early vulnerability for later mental disorders arise well before conception. There is an emerging case for expanding developmental theories and trialling preventive interventions in the years before pregnancy.
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    Longitudinal prediction of periconception alcohol use: a 20-year prospective cohort study across adolescence, young adulthood and pregnancy
    Hutchinson, D ; Spry, EA ; Mohamad Husin, H ; Middleton, M ; Hearps, S ; Moreno-Betancur, M ; Elliott, EJ ; Ryan, J ; Olsson, CA ; Patton, GC (WILEY, 2022-02)
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Alcohol consumption is common in adolescence and young adulthood and may continue into pregnancy, posing serious risk to early fetal development. We examine the frequency of periconception alcohol use (prior to pregnancy awareness) and the extent to which adolescent and young adult alcohol use prospectively predict periconception use. DESIGN: A longitudinal, population-based study. SETTING: Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 289 women in trimester three of pregnancy (age 29-35 years; 388 pregnancies). MEASURES: The main exposures were binge [≥ 4.0 standard drinks (SDs)/day] and frequent (≥ 3 days/week) drinking in adolescence (mean age = 14.9-17.4 years) and young adulthood (mean age 20.7-29.1 years). Outcomes were frequency (≥ 3 days/week, ≥ monthly, never) and quantity (≥ 4.0 SDs, ≥ 0.5 and < 4.0 SDs, none) of periconception drinking. FINDINGS: Alcohol use was common in young adulthood prior to pregnancy (72%) and in the early weeks of pregnancy (76%). The proportions drinking on most days and binge drinking were similar at both points. Reflecting a high degree of continuity in alcohol use behaviours, most women who drank periconceptionally had an earlier history of frequent (77%) and/or binge (85%) drinking throughout the adolescent or young adult years. Young adult binge drinking prospectively predicted periconception drinking quantity [odds ratio (OR) = 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.9-7.4], compared with women with no prior history. Similarly, frequent young adult drinking prospectively predicted frequent periconception drinking (OR = 30.7, 95% CI = 12.3-76.7). CONCLUSIONS: Women who engage in risky (i.e. frequent and binge) drinking in their adolescent and young adult years are more likely to report risky drinking in early pregnancy prior to pregnancy recognition than women with no prior history of risky drinking.