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Review
. 2021 Feb;26(2):462-481.
doi: 10.1038/s41380-020-0813-6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Depression, obesity and their comorbidity during pregnancy: effects on the offspring's mental and physical health

Nadia Cattane  1 , Katri Räikkönen  2 , Roberta Anniverno  3 , Claudio Mencacci  3 , Marco A Riva  4 , Carmine M Pariante  5 , Annamaria Cattaneo  6
Affiliations
Review

Depression, obesity and their comorbidity during pregnancy: effects on the offspring's mental and physical health

Nadia Cattane et al. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract

Depression and obesity represent two of the most common complications during pregnancy and are associated with severe health risks for both the mother and the child. Although several studies have analysed the individual effects of depression or obesity on the mothers and their children, the effects associated with the co-occurrence of both disorders have so far been poorly investigated. The relationship between depression and obesity is very complex and it is still unclear whether maternal depression leads to obesity or vice versa. It is well known that the intrauterine environment plays an important role in mediating the effects of both depression and obesity in the mother on the fetal programming, increasing the child's risk to develop negative outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

MAR has received compensation as speaker/consultant from Lundbeck, Otzuka, Recordati, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, and Sunovion, and he has received research grants from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma and Sunovion, although none of these had a role in the preparation and publication of this article. All the other authors reported no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Effects in the transmission of vulnerability from comorbid depressed and obese mothers to their offspring.
Maternal stress and nutrition can lead to alterations in the fetal programming, especially affecting the brain and increasing the risk for the offspring’s negative outcomes. Nutrition-based interventions can counteract these negative effects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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