Panic disorder during pregnancy and the first three years after delivery: a systematic review

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Panic disorder (PD) is highly prevalent during the peripartum period. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize evidence on risk factors and course patterns of peripartum PD as well as maternal, infant or dyadic outcomes during the first three years after delivery.

METHODS: A literature search was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were: (1) a diagnosis of PD or panic attacks during pregnancy, (2) risk factors and course as well as maternal, infant or dyadic outcomes measured in pregnancy and/or up to 3 years postpartum (3) peer-reviewed articles in English or German published between 1980 and April 2024. After screening of n = 2,740 records, n = 75 records based on n = 64 projects were eligible for this systematic review.

RESULTS: Overall, n = 47 studies investigated the course of PD during the peripartum period, n = 23 studies examined the associations of PD and obstetric, neonatal or infant outcomes, and n = 5 studies focused on the associations of PD and characteristics of the mother-infant dyad. We found (1) no common trajectory, but heterogeneous courses of maternal PD in the peripartum period, (2) associations of maternal PD with birth complications and subsequent postpartum depression, and (3) evidence for associations of PD with infant and dyadic outcomes.

LIMITATIONS: Diverse outcome measures in recent original publications did not allow for a meta-analytic approach.

CONCLUSION: Heterogenous courses and outcomes of peripartum PD require comprehensive monitoring of affected mothers and their infants. There is a need for further longitudinal investigations into familial transmission of anxiety disorders.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number36
Number of pages24
JournalBMC pregnancy and childbirth
Volume25
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 17 Jan 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC11740555
ORCID /0000-0002-6808-2968/work/176863217
Mendeley 4989f33d-5355-37b4-8f27-f437f5fa5dfd
Scopus 85216237094

Keywords

Research priority areas of TU Dresden

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Humans, Pregnancy, Female, Panic Disorder/epidemiology, Peripartum Period/psychology, Pregnancy Complications/psychology, Risk Factors, Infant, Newborn, Depression, Postpartum/epidemiology, Infant, Postpartum Period/psychology, Adult, Panic, Peripartum, Anxiety/panic disorder, Postpartum, Dyadic, Maternal health