Low birth weight, preterm birth and small for gestational age association with adult depression: systematic review, and meta-analysis

Background There is no consensus on the effects that low birth weight, premature birth and intrauterine growth have on later depression. Aims To review systematically the evidence on the relationship of low birth weight, smallness for gestational age (SGA) and premature birth with adult depression. Method We searched the literature for original studies assessing the effect of low birth weight, premature birth and SGA on adult depression. Separate meta-analyses were carried out for each exposure using random and fixed effects models. We evaluated the contribution of methodological covariates to heterogeneity using meta-regression. Results We identified 14 studies evaluating low birth weight, 9 premature birth and 4 SGA. Low birth weight increased the odds of depression (OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.21-1.60). Premature birth and SGA were not associated with depression, but publication bias might have underestimated the effect of the former and only four studies evaluated SGA. Conclusions Low birth weight was associated with depression. Future studies evaluating premature birth and SGA are needed.