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Maternal personality traits and risk of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2012

L. Chatzi ,
K. Koutra ,
M. Vassilaki ,
A. Vardiampasis ,
V. Georgiou ,
A. Koutis ,
C. Lionis ,
P. Bitsios  and
M. Kogevinas
L. Chatzi*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
K. Koutra
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
M. Vassilaki
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
A. Vardiampasis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
V. Georgiou
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
A. Koutis
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
C. Lionis
Affiliation:
Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece
P. Bitsios
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
M. Kogevinas
Affiliation:
Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 6974595570; fax: +30 2810 394758. E-mail address: lchatzi@med.uoc.gr (L. Chatzi).
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Abstract

Background/Aims

Maternal personality may increase vulnerability to stress, which could lead to an unfavourable intrauterine environment to the fetus. We sought to investigate the impact of maternal personality traits on adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction in the mother-child cohort study (RHEA Study) in Crete, Greece 2007–2009.

Methods

Five hundred and eighty pregnant women participating in “Rhea” cohort study completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) at 28–32 weeks of gestation. Information on anthropometric measures at birth was obtained from the hospital delivery logs and medical records. Fetal growth restriction was based on a customized model, and multivariate logistic regression models were used adjusting for confounders.

Results

A per unit increase in the EPQ Neuroticism scale increased the risk for fetal weight growth restriction by 9% [Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.09, 95 percent CI: 1.01, 1.19)], and for fetal head circumference growth restriction by 6% [OR = 1.06, 95 percent CI: 1.01, 1.18] after adjusting for maternal age, education, origin, marital status, working status, pre-pregnancy BMI, delivery type, parity, smoking, and alcohol intake during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Maternal neuroticism, which predisposes to negative mood, may be a risk factor for fetal growth restriction.

Keywords

PersonalityPreterm birthFetal growth restriction
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , May 2013 , pp. 213 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2012

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Footnotes

Abbreviations: EPQ, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire; OR, Odds Ratio; CI, Confidence interval.

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