Associations of perinatal mental health and substance use with maternal and infant outcomes

Objective: To examine how perinatal mental health problems and prenatal substance use are independently and interactively associated with maternal prenatal health, pregnancy outcomes, infant health outcomes and maternal postpartum mood. Infant health outcomes of interest include low birth weight and preterm birth.

Methods: Data from the Minnesota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for the combined years 2002-2006 were used to assess self-reported happiness during pregnancy, tobacco use and alcohol use. Women are sampled from birth certificate data and contacted approximately two to three months postpartum to report on their pre-conception, pregnancy and early postpartum experiences. Maternal and infant birth outcomes were obtained from linked Minnesota birth certificate data. There were 7,652 observations in the dataset, resulting in a weighted population of 315,923 people. Multiple logistic regression models were generated.

Results: Analysis is in progress.

Conclusions: Population-based survey data can be useful in examining perinatal health outcomes. PRAMS results can be used to influence program development for pregnant women. In addition, physicians may find this information helpful in identifying women at potential risk for adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.