Causal associations between female reproductive behaviors and psychiatric disorders: a lifecourse Mendelian randomization study

Background The timings of reproductive life events have been examined to be associated with various psychiatric disorders. However, studies have not considered the causal pathways from reproductive behaviors to different psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to investigate the nature of the relationships between five reproductive behaviors and twelve psychiatric disorders. Methods Firstly, we calculated genetic correlations between reproductive factors and psychiatric disorders. Then two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was conducted to estimate the causal associations among five reproductive behaviors, and these reproductive behaviors on twelve psychiatric disorders, using genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data from genetic consortia. Multivariable MR was then applied to evaluate the direct effect of reproductive behaviors on these psychiatric disorders whilst accounting for other reproductive factors at different life periods. Results Univariable MR analyses provide evidences that age at menarche, age at first sexual intercourse and age at first birth have effects on one (depression), seven (anxiety disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, bipolar disorder II, depression, PTSD and schizophrenia) and three psychiatric disorders (ADHD, depression and PTSD) (based on p < 7.14 × 10 −4 ), respectively. However, after performing multivariable MR, only age at first sexual intercourse has direct effects on six psychiatric disorders (Depression, Attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder, Bipolar disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Anxiety disorders and Anorexia Nervosa) when accounting for other reproductive behaviors with significant effects in univariable analyses. Conclusion Our findings suggest that reproductive behaviors predominantly exert their detrimental effects on psychiatric disorders and age at first sexual intercourse has direct effects on psychiatric disorders.