Megan Galbally

The Role of Oxytocin in Mother-Infant Relations: A Systematic Review of Human Studies

Background: Oxytocin is associated with the establishment and quality of maternal behavior in animal models. Parallel investigations in humans are now under way. This article reviews the current research examining the role of oxytocin in mother‐infant relations, attachment, and bonding in humans. Methods: A systematic search was made of three electronic databases and other bibliographic sources for published research studies that examined oxytocin and mother‐infant relations in humans, including attachment, maternal behavior, parenting, and mother‐infant relations. Results: Eight studies were identified, all of which were unique in their methodologies, populations studied, and measures used. Seven studies found significant and strong associations between levels or patterns of oxytocin and aspects of mother‐infant relations or attachment. Conclusions: Oxytocin appears to be of crucial importance for understanding mother‐infant relationships. The findings of this review suggest that the pioneering, but preliminary, research undertaken to date is promising and that replication with larger samples is needed. Research that draws on more robust measures of attachment and bonding, as well as improved measures of oxytocin that include both central and peripheral levels, will elucidate the role of oxytocin in human mother‐infant relationships. As the production of oxytocin is by no means restricted to mothers, the extension of the oxytocin studies to fathering, as well as to alloparental caregiving, would be an intriguing next step.

Prenatal exposure to antidepressant medications and neurodevelopmental outcomes: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE In weighing the risk and benefits of pharmacological treatment of depression during pregnancy it is important to consider risks of long-term as well as short-term implications for children from exposure. Hence, this article examines the evidence to date of studies which have examined longer-term neurodevelopment teratogenic effects on child outcomes (including cognitive, motor and behavioral outcome measures) following in utero exposure to antidepressants. METHOD A systematic review of published literature between January, 1973 and February, 2010 was conducted using the following key-words: pregnancy, child/infant development/neurodevelopment, antidepressants. All studies (N = 12) that reported primary data on neurodevelopmental outcome of infants exposed prenatally to antidepressants were assessed and analyzed. RESULTS The identified studies varied considerably in their own methodology, including the age of the children studied, the scales and assessments used, and the different aspects of neurodevelopment (such as cognitive, motor and behavioral outcomes) that were examined. Despite these limitations, the majority of studies found no difference between those exposed and controls on the various neurodevelopmental outcome measures, whereas only two studies identified statistically significant differences in motor function. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary reassuring results must be confirmed by larger studies with longer period of follow-up and providing more robust measures of neurodevelopmental outcome, in order to definitively exclude any potential risk of neurodevelopmental teratogenicity associated with antidepressant exposure in utero.

Early life programming as a target for prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders

This paper concerns future policy development and programs of research for the prevention of mental disorders based on research emerging from fetal and early life programming. The current review offers an overview of findings on pregnancy exposures such as maternal mental health, lifestyle factors, and potential teratogenic and neurotoxic exposures on child outcomes. Outcomes of interest are common child and adolescent mental disorders including hyperactive, behavioral and emotional disorders. This literature suggests that the preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of deleterious fetal exposures. As such, the perinatal period is a critical period where future mental health prevention efforts should be focused and prevention models developed. Interventions grounded in evidence-based recommendations for the perinatal period could take the form of public health, universal and more targeted interventions. If successful, such interventions are likely to have lifelong effects on (mental) health.

Management of antipsychotic and mood stabilizer medication in pregnancy: recommendations for antenatal care.

The aim of the present study was to develop recommendations for antenatal care and monitoring for women with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia who are on lithium carbonate, antipsychotic or anti-epileptic medication during pregnancy. A literature search and review of original research, published reviews and guidelines was undertaken for mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in pregnancy and for the management of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in pregnancy. This information was summarized, condensed and then reviewed by representatives of psychiatry, pharmacy, paediatrics and obstetrics to produce an information booklet and subsequently monitoring recommendations and tables. A model of antenatal monitoring and care for women with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and related disorders who are maintained on psychotropic medication was developed. This included an online and published booklet for clinicians summarizing psychotropic medication in pregnancy, and lactation and monitoring tables that could be part of patient case files. These were to assist in reminding and educating staff on the need for additional monitoring and assessment above standard antenatal care for women on mood stabilizers and antipsychotic medication. Women with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have an increased risk of complications in pregnancy from their illness and from the medications they are prescribed. A summary of the risks and a model of suggested additional monitoring during pregnancy have been developed in consultation across a number of clinical disciplines.

Mood stabilizers in pregnancy: a systematic review.

Objective: To undertake a systematic review of the effects of exposure to mood stabilizer medication in pregnancy, evaluating teratogenicity and other outcomes for mother and child. This was one of three concurrent systematic reviews of psychotropic medication exposure in pregnancy. Method: A systematic search was carried out of electronic databases, reference books and other sources for original research studies which examined the effects of commonly used mood stabilizers (sodium valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine and lithium carbonate) on pregnancy outcomes. These included malformations, pregnancy complications, neonatal complications and longer term developmental outcomes for children exposed. Results: All mood stabilizers were found to be associated with a risk of malformation and perinatal complications. Studies which examined longer term neurodevelopmental outcomes found poorer outcomes for those children exposed to sodium valproate or polytherapy in pregnancy than for other individual AEDs. The data available for longer term child outcomes with lithium exposure is too limited to draw any conclusions. Conclusions: This review found that exposure in pregnancy to all four commonly used mood stabilizers may be teratogenic, and is associated with increased rates of pregnancy and neonatal complications. There was also more limited information that sodium valproate may be associated with poorer longer term child developmental outcomes. These findings must be balanced with the risk of relapse and poor pregnancy and child outcomes with untreated maternal bipolar disorder. The information obtained from these reviews of psychotropic medications will assist clinicians in managing women with mental illness in pregnancy.

Serotonin discontinuation syndrome following in utero exposure to antidepressant medication: prospective controlled study

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine neonatal symptoms previously reported to be associated with exposure to antidepressant medication in late pregnancy in a group of infants exposed to antidepressants, using a prospective and controlled design. Method: A prospective case–control study recruited 27 pregnant women taking antidepressant medication and 27 matched controls who were not taking antidepressant medication in pregnancy. Of the 27 women taking medication, 25 remained on medication in the third trimester and, of these, 23 women had complete data available. In pregnancy and after delivery women were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-II and a purpose-designed questionnaire. After delivery mothers were asked a set of nine questions pertaining to symptoms of discontinuation in their newborn and questions about pregnancy and delivery complications. Results: There was an increased risk of discontinuation symptoms in neonates exposed to antidepressant medication in late pregnancy and an association with higher dose medication. The study group were found to be significantly more likely to display behaviour such as crying, jitteriness, tremor, feeding, reflux and sneezing and sleep for <3 h after a feed. They also had significantly higher rates of jaundice and admissions to the special care nursery. Conclusions: Exposure to antidepressants in late pregnancy is associated with a range of symptoms in the neonate that are consistent with the effects of exposure to antidepressants in late pregnancy. The clusters of symptoms most highly correlated are the gastrointestinal and central nervous system symptoms. These finding helps to identify the common symptoms associated with a neonatal serotonin discontinuation syndrome.

Neonatal growth outcomes at birth and one month postpartum following in utero exposure to antidepressant medication

Objective: There is evidence of increasing prescription of antidepressant medication in pregnant women. This has arisen from the recognition of the importance of treating maternal depression. This must be balanced, however, with information on outcomes for infants and children exposed to antidepressants in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to examine whether neonatal outcomes including gestational age at birth, neonatal growth outcomes at birth and then at 1 month postpartum were altered by in utero exposure to antidepressant medication using a prospective and controlled design. Method: A prospective case–control study recruited 27 pregnant women taking antidepressant medication and 27 matched controls who were not taking antidepressant medication in pregnancy at an obstetric hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Of the 27 women taking medication, 25 remained on medication in the third trimester. A purpose-designed self-report questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory-II were completed in pregnancy, after birth and at one month postpartum. In addition information was collected on exposed and non-exposed infants including Apgar scores, birthweight/length/head circumference and gestational age at birth. Weight/length/head circumference was again collected at 1 month of age. Results: Infants exposed to antidepressants in utero were eightfold more likely to be born at a premature gestational age, had significantly lower birthweight and were smaller in length and head circumference than non-exposed infants. There was no association between birth outcomes and maternal depression. At 1 month, the difference in weight in the exposed group became significantly greater than the control group. Conclusion: Antidepressant exposure in utero may affect gestational age at birth and neonatal outcomes independently of antenatal maternal depression. Further studies are needed to examine whether these findings vary according to the type of antidepressant prescribed and follow up growth and development in exposed infants beyond 1 month.

Developmental outcomes of children exposed to antidepressants in pregnancy.

Objective: To examine the developmental outcomes in children exposed to antidepressants in utero and compare those to children not exposed to these medications Method: A prospective case-controlled study of children exposed to antidepressants in pregnancy assessed 22 exposed and 19 not exposed children using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, third edition. The control group was measured at a mean age of 23.09 (SD 3.82) months and the medicated group at 28.53 months (SD 6.22). Maternal variables were assessed using a purpose-designed questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (II) in pregnancy and at three assessments in the postpartum. Results: Children exposed to antidepressant medication in pregnancy scored lower on motor subscales in particular on fine motor scores than non-exposed children with a moderate effect size of Cohens d = 0.47 fine motor and Cohens d = 0.43 for gross motor. Due to lack of power these findings did not reach conventional criteria for statistical significance. There was no association found between maternal depression and neurodevelopment. Conclusions: This finding of a possible effect from antidepressant exposure in pregnancy on childrens motor development is similar to the findings from a previous study. Future research is needed which assesses children at an older age using specific assessments of motor development.

Antipsychotic drugs in pregnancy: a review of their maternal and fetal effects

Understanding the risks of antipsychotic medication use in pregnancy is becoming an important clinical concern given the evidence of their increasing rate of prescription in the general population for a range of disorders. Despite antipsychotics being amongst the earliest of psychotropic medications to be introduced, the evidence for their effects secondary to pregnancy exposure is extremely limited. While this review does not identify clear evidence for a risk of malformation, there is evidence for risks associated with pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Studies identified found risks that included prematurity, low and high birth weight, and gestational diabetes. There have also been studies that suggest neonatal withdrawal and abnormal muscles movements. The longer term neurodevelopmental outcomes for children exposed in utero remain unclear with only four studies identified: two of first generation antipsychotics and two of second generation antipsychotics. When considering the risk of these medications in pregnancy, the risk of untreated maternal illness (particularly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) on both maternal and child outcomes is relevant. Future research needs to focus on prospective, longitudinal studies with adequate measures of key confounding variables including maternal mental illness, other exposures (such as smoking, alcohol and illicit drug use) and adequate length of follow up where accurate child developmental measures are obtained.

Breastfeeding and infant sleep patterns: an Australian population study

Our purpose was to determine if babies breastfed at 6 months of age were more likely to wake at night and less likely to sleep alone than formula‐fed babies.