The perinatal and childhood outcomes of children born to Indigenous women with mental health problems: A scoping review

Akilew A Adane; Carrington Cj Shepherd; Tracy Reibel; Getinet Ayano; Rhonda Marriott

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2023.103779

The perinatal and childhood outcomes of children born to Indigenous women with mental health problems: A scoping review

Midwifery. 2023 Oct:125:103779. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103779. Epub 2023 Aug 5.

Authors

Akilew A Adane¹, Carrington Cj Shepherd², Tracy Reibel³, Getinet Ayano⁴, Rhonda Marriott³

Affiliations

¹ Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia. Electronic address: akilew.adane@murdoch.edu.au.
² Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia; Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
³ Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
⁴ School of Indigenous Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.

PMID: 37562160
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103779

Abstract

Objective: Maternal mental health problems are common during the perinatal period and have been associated with several negative outcomes in children. However, few studies have examined the associations between maternal mental health problems and offspring outcomes among Indigenous people, and the findings across these studies have been inconsistent. This scoping review examined the birth and childhood (≤12 years) health and development outcomes of the children of Indigenous women with mental health problems.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley and based on the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eight databases were searched electronically for studies examining the associations between any perinatal maternal mental health problems and birth and childhood outcomes among the Indigenous populations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA. Two authors reviewed studies for inclusion. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted.

Results: Of 2,836 records identified, 10 were eligible. One of three studies evaluating maternal depression and anxiety problems found a negative (adverse) association with birth and childhood behavioural outcomes. Six of seven studies that examined the associations between maternal substance use disorder (mainly alcohol use disorder) and several birth and childhood outcomes found at least one negative association.

Conclusions and implications for practice: Maternal substance use disorder appears to be associated with adverse birth and childhood outcomes among some Indigenous populations. However, there is preliminary evidence for the other common maternal mental health problems. Further research is critically required to draw definitive conclusions regarding the impact of maternal mental health problems on the birth and childhood outcomes.

Keywords: Birth outcomes; Child development; Child health; Indigenous; Perinatal mental health; Scoping review.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Australia
Child
Family
Female
Humans
Mental Health*
Parturition
Pregnancy
Substance-Related Disorders*