Covariates
The primary and secondary outcomes may be a priori confounded by other
factors, like gender because of higher birth weights in male infants
compared to female infants. Maternal age at the time of conception, BMI
before pregnancy, educational level (low/middle/high), presence of
support system (defined as an in-house living partner) and smoking,
drugs, and alcohol use during pregnancy, may be associated with birth
weight and complications during delivery. The number and type of actual
and historical mental disorders mentioned in the patient file and the
use of concomitant other psychotropic drugs during pregnancy may affect
primary and secondary outcomes, and so were recorded. Other possible
confounders may be chronic comorbid disorders, such as thyroid disease
and asthma, and pregnancy-related disorders, like (gestational)
diabetes, hypertension, pre-eclampsia/HELLP, and infections during
pregnancy. Further, information about the parity (0/1+), a previous
miscarriage/abortion, and the use of IVF/ICSI were collected. The use of
epidural/spinal anesthesia during delivery, position during delivery,
gender of the newborn, and presence of meconium may influence the
primary and secondary outcomes, and were also recorded.