Background: Stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy can have both immediate and long-term effects on child development, potentially mediated by breastfeeding.Aim: Using a UK birth cohort study, we asked how maternal stress relates to breastfeeding and consequences for growth and puberty onset.Subjects and methods: We analysed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, collected via questionnaires and clinic visits (N: 698-8,506). We used reports of prenatal anxiety, breastfeeding, early growth and age at menarche or first voice change. Confounding by maternal age, parity, smoking, education and body mass index (BMI) was considered.Results: Mothers with higher levels of reported anxiety were less likely to breastfeed (Odds ratio (OR): 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71, 0.97). Breastfed infants had slower growth before weaning, although growth differences were unclear thereafter. Being breastfed for more than six months was associated with later puberty onset in females (2.76 months later than non-breastfed; CI: 0.9, 4.63), although the association was attenuated by confounders and BMI (1.51 months, CI: -0.38, 3.40). No association between breastfeeding and puberty onset in males was found.Conclusion: Our studies fit results shown previously, and we consider these in light of evolutionary life history theory while discussing key challenges in such an approach.

中文翻译：

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产前焦虑、母乳喂养和儿童成长和青春期：将进化模型与人类队列研究联系起来。

背景：母亲在怀孕期间经历的压力可能对儿童发育产生直接和长期影响，这可能由母乳喂养介导。目的：使用英国出生队列研究，我们询问母亲压力与母乳喂养的关系以及对生长和青春期开始的影响. 主题和方法：我们分析了来自雅芳父母和儿童纵向研究的数据，这些数据是通过问卷和门诊就诊 (N: 698-8,506) 收集的。我们使用了关于产前焦虑、母乳喂养、早期生长和初潮年龄或第一次声音变化的报告。考虑了母亲年龄、产次、吸烟、教育和体重指数 (BMI) 的混杂因素。结果：报告焦虑水平较高的母亲不太可能进行母乳喂养（优势比 (OR): 0.83, 95% 置信区间 (CI) : 0.71, 0.97)。母乳喂养的婴儿在断奶前生长较慢，尽管此后的生长差异尚不清楚。母乳喂养超过 6 个月与女性青春期开始较晚（比非母乳喂养晚 2.76 个月；CI：0.9, 4.63），尽管这种关联因混杂因素和 BMI（1.51 个月，CI：-0.38, 3.40）而减弱）。没有发现母乳喂养与男性青春期开始之间存在关联。结论：我们的研究符合先前显示的结果，我们根据进化生活史理论考虑这些，同时讨论这种方法的关键挑战。尽管该关联因混杂因素和 BMI（1.51 个月，CI：-0.38, 3.40）而减弱。没有发现母乳喂养与男性青春期开始之间存在关联。结论：我们的研究符合先前显示的结果，我们根据进化生活史理论考虑这些，同时讨论这种方法的关键挑战。尽管该关联因混杂因素和 BMI（1.51 个月，CI：-0.38, 3.40）而减弱。没有发现母乳喂养与男性青春期开始之间存在关联。结论：我们的研究符合先前显示的结果，我们根据进化生活史理论考虑这些，同时讨论这种方法的关键挑战。