Low birth weight, preterm birth and small for gestational age association with adult depression: systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: British journal of psychiatry 2014-11, Vol.205 (5), p.340-347
• Main Authors: De Mola, Christian Loret, De França, Giovanny Vinícius Araújo, de Avila Quevedo, Luciana, Horta, Bernardo Lessa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Depression; Depressive Disorder - etiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Premature Birth - psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Review articles
• ISSN: 0007-1250; 1472-1465
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.139014

There is no consensus on the effects that low birth weight, premature birth and intrauterine growth have on later depression. To review systematically the evidence on the relationship of low birth weight, smallness for gestational age (SGA) and premature birth with adult depression. We searched the literature for original studies assessing the effect of low birth weight, premature birth and SGA on adult depression. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for each exposure using random and fixed effects models. We evaluated the contribution of methodological covariates to heterogeneity using meta-regression. We identified 14 studies evaluating low birth weight, 9 premature birth and 4 SGA. Low birth weight increased the odds of depression (OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.21-1.60). Premature birth and SGA were not associated with depression, but publication bias might have underestimated the effect of the former and only four studies evaluated SGA. Low birth weight was associated with depression. Future studies evaluating premature birth and SGA are needed.