Examining the effects of maternal smoking on offspring depression
Dr. Edmond Shenassa and his colleagues investigate the relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy and the subsequent risk of depression among offspring, using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth from 1994-2016. Their research addresses previous inconsistencies in the literature by examining not only the presence of maternal smoking but also the amount smoked and its potential impact on the severity of depressive symptoms.
Among siblings, the findings reveal a dose-response relationship. Offspring that were exposed to maternal smoking of less than one pack per day had an adjusted relative risk (aRR) of 1.18 for depression and an aRR of 1.12 for severity of depressive symptoms. For those exposed to one pack or more per day, the risks increased to an aRR of 1.36 for depression and 1.25 for severity of symptoms. These associations were statistically significant with a p-value of less than 0.01 for trend, highlighting the consistency of the findings across varying degrees of maternal smoking exposure.
This study contributes to the understanding of how maternal behaviors during pregnancy, specifically smoking, can influence the mental health outcomes of offspring into adulthood. The results underscore the importance of considering both the quantity of maternal smoking and the developmental timing of depression onset in future research and public health interventions aimed at reducing the burden of depression among young adults.
Shenassa, ED; Gleason, JL; Hirabayashi, K. (2024). "Fetal Exposure to Tobacco Metabolites and Depression During Adulthood: Beyond Binary Measures". Epidemiology, first published July 5, 2024. DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001757