Maternal perinatal mental health and child behaviour: : the interaction between psychosocial and biological factors (SWVG_EF21)

The proposed study will analyze data on the mother's mental health in the perinatal period and the behavior and development of her child in the postpartum period and up to preschool age. In the context of this study, 'perinatal' means; the period of pregnancy, birth and until the offspring is one year old. By 'postpartum period' we mean: the period from childbirth to 1 year after delivery'

The focus is on the functioning of the stress system - this is the body system that determines how someone reacts to the environment at rest and during stress - and how epigenetic factors and telomere biology play a role in this.

This research will contribute to uncovering mechanisms that influence whether mother and child in the postpartum have an increased neurobiological vulnerability or whether they are resilient.