Maternal eating disorder severity is associated with increased latency of foetal auditory event-related brain responses.

OBJECTIVE

Maternal eating disorders (EDs) are associated with adverse pregnancy and child outcomes. There is limited research investigating the influence of maternal EDs on foetal brain development.

METHOD: Using foetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG), an auditory sequence was presented for 10 min to assess brain response latencies in foetuses of mothers with (n = 12) and without (n = 11) a history of anorexia nervosa (AN) in the third trimester of pregnancy. ED history and severity were assessed using the structured clinical expert interview eating disorder examination (EDE) and the self-report questionnaire EDE-Q.

RESULTS

Foetuses of mothers with AN showed delayed foetal brain responses to auditory stimulation compared to foetuses of control women. Self-reported ED symptom severity explained 34% of variance in foetal brain response latencies in the AN group.

CONCLUSIONS

ED pathology was strongly associated with foetal brain response latencies in the third trimester with longer latencies in foetuses of women with a history of AN reporting more ED symptoms. Follow-up on the children is pivotal to investigate if fMEG outcomes are associated with later child development.