The strongest evidence for an adverse effect of PMA exposure is in somatic and psychological outcomes ; the evidence for an effect of PMA on child development is inconclusive .
Several decades of research have focused on the impact of exposure to postnatal depression on children , while anxiety has been largely overlooked .
Estimates of the prevalence of postnatal maternal anxiety ( PMA ) range from 3 % to 43 % , suggesting PMA may be an important risk factor for adverse outcomes in children .
This review summarizes what is known about the effects of  PMA exposure on children and makes recommendations for future research .
The course of anxiety and depression through pregnancy and the postpartum in a community sample.
BACKGROUND Postnatal and antenatal depression are a focus of considerable clinical and research attention , but little is known about the patterns of anxiety across this period . METHODS  Self-reported anxiety and depression were assessed at 18 and 32 weeks gestation and 8 weeks and 8 months postnatally in a prospect i ve longitudinal study of a community sample of women in Engl and ( n=8323 ) . RESULTS The majority of cases of postnatal depression were preceded by antenatal depression ; similarly , postnatal anxiety was preceded by antenatal anxiety . Despite the stability of anxiety and depression across this period , there was a mean decrease in both anxiety and depression . Finally , antenatal anxiety predicted postnatal depression at 8 weeks and 8 months , even after controlling for antenatal depression ( OR=3.22 , p<0.001 ) . LIMITATIONS Data were based on self-report only and there was evidence of selective attrition . CONCLUSION The findings confirm that antenatal anxiety occurs frequently , overlaps with depression and increases the likelihood of postnatal depression
The strongest evidence for an adverse effect of PMA exposure is in somatic and psychological outcomes ; the evidence for an effect of PMA on child development is inconclusive .
Several decades of research have focused on the impact of exposure to postnatal depression on children , while anxiety has been largely overlooked .
Estimates of the prevalence of postnatal maternal anxiety ( PMA ) range from 3 % to 43 % , suggesting PMA may be an important risk factor for adverse outcomes in children .
This review summarizes what is known about the effects of  PMA exposure on children and makes recommendations for future research .