How Maternal Distress Affects Neurological Development in Children: New Study Sheds Light
Summary
The study finds that maternal psychological distress at 1 year after childbirth affects neurodevelopment in toddlers more strongly than prenatal distress
Brain development during the initial years is critical, shaped by both environment and caregiver behaviors. To clarify the causal relationship between maternal psychological distress and neuropsychiatric developmental delays, researchers in Japan analyzed data from over 82,000 mother–child pairs in a large-scale nationwide cohort. They found that distress within 1 year postpartum had stronger effects on the toddler’s neurodevelopment than prenatal distress, emphasizing the importance of continuous maternal mental health support before and after childbirth.
- Image title： Investigating the link between maternal distress and developmental delays in children
- Image caption： Researchers investigate the bidirectional relationship that exists between maternal psychological distress and neurodevelopmental delay in children, emphasizing the importance of perinatal mental health
- Credit：Dr. Kenta Matsumura from the University of Toyama, Japan
- License type：Original content
- Usage restrictions：Cannot be reused without permission.
Research Details
Reference
Title of original paper
Maternal Psychological Distress Before and After Childbirth and Neurodevelopmental Delay in Toddlers
Journal
JAMA Network Open
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.40907
Additional information for EurekAlert
Latest Article Publication Date
31 October 2025
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
People
Conflicts of Interest Statement
All authors reported receiving grants from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, during the conduct of the study. Dr Matsumura reported receiving research funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI) and an honorarium from Sumitomo Pharma outside the submitted work. Dr Tsuchida and Dr Inadera reported receiving funding from the JSPS KAKENHI during the conduct of the study outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.
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