Flu during Pregnancy Increases Risk of Bipolar Disorder in Child

Maternal infections during pregnancy can leave lasting effects on the baby's health. Emphasizing this point, a new study says that maternal flu in pregnancy increases the child's risk of developing bipolar disorder later in life.

The findings, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry, found a fourfold risk associated with influenza infection during pregnancy and bipolar disorder in children.

Bipolar disorder is a condition where the patient experiences disruptive mood swings and depression. According to National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 5.7 million American adults are affected by this brain disorder. Recent research has shown that the disorder has gained a stronger hold among children and youngsters in the country.

Professor Alan Brown and colleagues from the Columbia University Medical Center, who looked at the issue, traced the origin of the condition to the unhealthy conditions the baby was exposed to while in his/her mother's womb.

More than 800 pregnant women who gave birth between 1959 and 1966 participated in the study. Researchers used data from the Child Health and Development Studies and the participants' medical records to determine the number of women who had been diagnosed with influenza after conceiving.

Prevalence of bipolar disorder among their children was decided using medical records from different sources, including CHDA, Kaiser Permanente.

To re-confirm the prevalence of bipolar disorder, researchers interviewed 214 children born to the women. Of the total number of participants, about 92 had bipolar disorder. Researchers found the disorder more prevalent among participants born to mothers who had experienced flu during pregnancy.

Pregnant women are always recommended to take a flu shot during pregnancy to avoid the infection. However, many women who are concerned about the safety often hesitate to take the flu shot or skip it. Many studies have shown that the flu shot is safe during pregnancy. Apart from that, according to health experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women are at a higher risk of contracting flu during pregnancy due to changes in their immune system, heart and lungs. They recommend for pregnant women to get the flu shot during pregnancy to avoid many adverse side-effects, including miscarriages and preterm birth.

Supporting the current study, countless studies in the past have highlighted the hidden risks associated with experiencing flu or fever during pregnancy. A study published in Pediatrics and another one published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder reported that children of women who had fever or flu during pregnancy were at greater risk of autism and other developmental delays.