Stress During Pregnancy and the Development of Diseases in the offspring: A Systematic-Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The goal of this systematic-review and meta-analysis was to assess whether high maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with the development of pediatric pathology. Design: Epidemiological peer-reviewed studies published in English or Spanish assessing associations between maternal stress during pregnancy and psychiatric and medical diseases were selected. Participants: We retrieved 73,024 citations; 42 studies meeting inclusion criteria were assessed. Overall sample included 65,814,076 women. Findings: Overall odds ratio for the development of a medical disease was OR = 1.24 (CI95 = 1.11, 1.39), Z = 3.85, p < .01. Overall odds ratio for psychiatric disorders was OR = 1.28 (CI95 = 1.06, 1.56), Z = 2.54, p < .02. Multivariate meta-analysis showed a significant coefficient for autism spectrum disorder studies, B = 0.42, SE = 0.16, Z = 2.67, p < .01. We found a significant overall effect size for autism spectrum disorder (OR = 1.45 [CI95 = 1.24, 1.70], Z = 4.69, p < .01). In terms of medical diseases, studies including obesity and infantile colic presented a significant overall effect size, as OR = 1.20 (CI95 = 1.03, 1.39), Z = 2.41, p < .02. The highest effect size was found regarding the first trimester (B = 1.62, SE = 0.16, Z = 9.90, p < .01). Key conclusions: We concluded that exposure to high levels of stress during pregnancy are associated with autism spectrum disorder, obesity, and infantile colic in offspring. Implications for practice: Maternal stress during pregnancy should be addressed to tackle its potential impact in health across the life span.