Perinatal maternal distress and neurobehavioural development in toddlers.
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- 2Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Departments of Psychology, Pediatrics, and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- 3BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Pediatrics and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- 4BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- 5Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Maternal perinatal psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, depression) is common and has been linked to adverse child behavioural outcomes. Altered brain function provides a potential mechanism through which perinatal distress may impact child behaviour, but specific associations remain unclear. This study investigated associations between perinatal distress, child brain functional connectivity at 2 years, and child behaviour at 2 and 3 years.Methods
Neuroimaging and behavioural data were obtained from the Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic (PdP) study. Maternal distress (anxiety and depression symptoms) was self-reported throughout the perinatal period; analyses included measures from intake survey and 2 years postpartum. Child behaviour at 2 and 3 years was parent-reported using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Resting-state fMRI data was collected at 2 years (n = 62) to quantify connectivity within the default mode, executive control, frontoparietal, and sensorimotor networks. Associations between maternal prenatal and postnatal distress, child functional connectivity, and child behaviour were examined using regression models.Results
Postnatal, but not prenatal, distress was associated with lower gross motor scores at 2 years (B = -0.5, T = -2.8, p = 0.005, df = 3517, q = 0.01). Higher distress both prenatally and postnatally was associated with lower ASQ-3 scores at 3 years across all domains (q < 0.05). Child brain connectivity was not related to maternal distress or behaviour.Conclusions
Perinatal distress was associated with worse behaviour at 2 and 3 years, although no associations with connectivity were observed, suggesting other pathways may underlie these effects. Nonetheless, these findings highlight the importance of supporting mental health during pregnancy and postnatally to promote healthy child development.
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BibTeX
@article{jaffer2026perinatal,
title = {{Perinatal maternal distress and neurobehavioural development in toddlers.}},
author = {Aliza Jaffer and Kathryn Y Manning and Gerald F Giesbrecht and Tim F Oberlander and Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen and Catherine Lebel},
journal = {Developmental cognitive neuroscience},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101837},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42869868},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Perinatal maternal distress and neurobehavioural development in toddlers.
AU - Aliza Jaffer
AU - Kathryn Y Manning
AU - Gerald F Giesbrecht
AU - Tim F Oberlander
AU - Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen
AU - Catherine Lebel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Developmental cognitive neuroscience
DO - 10.1016/j.dcn.2026.101837
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42869868
AB - Background Maternal perinatal psychological distress (e.g., anxiety, depression) is common and has been linked to adverse child behavioural outcomes. Altered brain function provides a potential mechanism through which perinatal distress may impact child behaviour, but specific associations remain unclear. This study investigated associations between perinatal distress, child brain functional connectivity at 2 years, and child behaviour at 2 and 3 years.Methods Neuroimaging and behavioural data were obtained from the Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic (PdP) study. Maternal distress (anxiety and depression symptoms) was self-reported throughout the perinatal period; analyses included measures from intake survey and 2 years postpartum. Child behaviour at 2 and 3 years was parent-reported using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Resting-state fMRI data was collected at 2 years (n = 62) to quantify connectivity within the default mode, executive control, frontoparietal, and sensorimotor networks. Associations between maternal prenatal and postnatal distress, child functional connectivity, and child behaviour were examined using regression models.Results Postnatal, but not prenatal, distress was associated with lower gross motor scores at 2 years (B = -0.5, T = -2.8, p = 0.005, df = 3517, q = 0.01). Higher distress both prenatally and postnatally was associated with lower ASQ-3 scores at 3 years across all domains (q < 0.05). Child brain connectivity was not related to maternal distress or behaviour.Conclusions Perinatal distress was associated with worse behaviour at 2 and 3 years, although no associations with connectivity were observed, suggesting other pathways may underlie these effects. Nonetheless, these findings highlight the importance of supporting mental health during pregnancy and postnatally to promote healthy child development.
SN - 1878-9293
SN - 1878-9307
ER -