Authors:
Li J, Robinson M, Malacova E, Jacoby P, Foster J, Van Eekelen A
Authors notes:
Journal of Pediatrics. 2013;162(3):483-489
Keywords:
Pregnancy, life stress events, school performance, antenatal exposure, sex differences
Abstract:
To test the hypothesis that maternal antenatal exposure to life stress events is associated with lower achievement in literacy and numeracy at age 10 years, with sex differences in this link.
In girls, maternal antenatal exposure to 4 or more maternal life stress events or death of the mother's friend and/or relative was associated with lower reading scores.
In contrast, exposure to 3 or more life stress events or to a pregnancy or financial problem was associated with higher reading scores in boys.
Furthermore, maternal exposure to 4 or more life stress events was associated with higher mathematic scores and a residential move was linked to higher writing scores in boys.
Maternal antenatal exposure to life stress events has differing effects on the school performance of male and female offspring.
Further research is needed to explore the reasons for this sex difference.