Paternal, Maternal Psychiatric History Each Tied to Higher Risk for Preterm Birth

FRIDAY, July 21, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Both paternal and maternal psychiatric history are associated with an increased risk for preterm birth (PTB), according to a study published online July 20 in PLOS Medicine.

Weiyao Yin, M.D., Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues examined the association for psychiatric history in fathers, mothers, and both parents with gestational age. The analysis included all 1.49 million infants live-born to Nordic parents in Sweden (1997 to 2016).

The researchers found a shift toward earlier gestational age in offspring of parents with psychiatric history, with a similar risk for PTB associated with paternal (relative risk, 1.12) and maternal psychiatric diagnoses (relative risk, 1.31); however, risk was higher when both parents were diagnosed with any psychiatric disorder (relative risk, 1.52) versus when neither parent had a psychiatric diagnosis. The highest risk for PTB was seen with stress-related disorders. An increased risk for PTB was also seen for co-occurring diagnoses from different diagnostic categories. For early-term delivery, the risks were similar to PTB.

"These data suggest that the presence of psychiatric diagnoses in either one or both parents impacts gestational age at birth," the authors write. "Whether additional social and psychiatric support and prenatal care to families with a positive psychiatric history could mitigate against this warrants further investigation."

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text