Lloyd said while there was a great deal of research and media interest surrounding postnatal depression, there had been less focus on the mental health of mothers over the course of child rearing.

Antenatal and postnatal depression alone were found to have no negative impact on children, a finding Lloyd hopes may help reduce the stigma surrounding the conditions.

'Self-doubt, feelings of guilt and social stigma could be alleviated knowing impaired maternal mental health is not necessarily going to compromise a child's mental health and well-being into adolescence and beyond.'

The study found mothers were more likely to experience mental health problems as their children became adolescents, a link which had not previously been adequately explored or documented.