Sydney, Aug 3 - Teenagers whose mothers have mental health problems are likely to suffer behavioural problems, says a new study.

Using data from the Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), Belinda Lloyd from the University of Queensland (UQ) studied maternal mental health and its impact on children.

The MUSP is a study of more than 7,000 mothers and their children born at Brisbane's Mater Hospital between 1981-83.

'Children whose mothers experienced mental health problems as their children grew older (during adolescence), had substantially elevated rates of the behavioural and mental health problems measured in the study,' Lloyd said.

'Also, children whose mothers experienced recurrent mental health problems were significantly more likely to display behavioural and mental health problems.

'The impact of maternal mental health problems on children was found to vary, with the timing and recurrence of maternal anxiety and depression being important.