Prenatal Maternal Stress and the Risk of Lifetime Wheeze in Young Offspring: An Examination by Stressor and Maternal Ethnicity

Abstract

Prenatal psychosocial stressors may increase the risk of wheeze in young offspring, yet little attention has been given to the effects that maternal ethnicity may have on this relationship. From a population-based cohort of 1193 children, we assessed the effect of maternal prenatal stressors on the risk of lifetime wheeze in young offspring. We further studied whether maternal Latina ethnicity modified these associations. The risk of wheeze in the offspring was increased from high levels of pregnancy anxiety (aRR 1.40, 95 % CI 1.07, 1.83), negative life events (aRR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.06, 1.75), or low paternal support (aRR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.02, 1.96). The risk of lifetime wheeze was stronger in the offspring of Latina mothers than of White mothers for these same stressors. Multiple maternal prenatal stressors are associated with increased risk of lifetime wheeze in young offspring, with slight effect modification by Latina ethnicity.

Keywords: Childhood wheeze; Fetal programming; Latina ethnicity; Prenatal stress.

Figure 1. Risk of lifetime wheeze by race/ethnicity

Adjusted risk ratios for lifetime wheeze stratified by race among respondents to the Environment and Child Health Outcomes Study in Los Angeles County, California, 2006 (n=1193). Risk ratios are adjusted with propensity scores for maternal age, maternal education, preterm birth, months of exclusive breastfeeding, maternal atopy, child sex, and pregnancy smoking, and individually adjusted for each stressor. Results are presented on a logarithmic scale. Estimates displayed as follows: pregnancy anxiety: very much vs. none at all; PSS: high vs. low; life events: 2+ vs. none; paternal support: low vs. high.