Understanding intergenerational risk factors for mental health using the Mercy Pregnancy Emotional Wellbeing Cohort Study

Mercy Pregnancy Emotional Wellbeing Study is an ongoing pregnancy cohort study with 887 women and their children. This study is designed around mental health and includes diagnostic measures of maternal mental health in pregnancy and the postpartum as well as child mental health and repeat measures of mental health symptoms for both. There are 3 groups of women recruited- those with current depressive disorders, those on antidepressant medication in pregnancy and a control group with neither depression or on antidepressant medication. Recruitment was in two metropolitan cities and across 3 regional/rural areas. Women were recruited at less than 20 weeks of pregnancy and currently the cohort is 4 years postpartum/of age. Data collected is across biosamples, social and environmental variables, attachment and parenting and mental health and development. This allows nested studies examining specific aspects of predictors in pregnancy for maternal and or child health and wellbeing outcomes. These can include areas of focus including trauma (current, birth and childhood), partner and family support, antidepressant exposure on offspring outcomes, physical health in pregnancy, pregnancy complications and birth outcomes, lifestyle including sleep, diet and exercise, parenting and attachment, infant and child development, and mental health. As there are 6 waves of data already collected as well as a biobank of samples it also allows projects to explore and test longitudinal models over early life for risk and protective factors for maternal mental health, child development and wellbeing or child mental health outcomes.