Maternal COVID-19 exposure during pregnancy increase the risk for motor and socioemotional developmental delays in infants: a cross sectional study
Child Development. COVID-19. Infant Welfare
Objective: Maternal experiences determine health in the early years of a child. Although viral infections during pregnancy may impair child development, little is known about the effects of maternal COVID-19 exposure during pregnancy on infant’s motor and socioemotional development. The purpose of this article was to investigate risk for developmental delay in infants born to mothers with COVID-19. Method: Screening for risk for developmental delay was performed in a cross sectional study conducted between March - July 2021 with infants born to mothers with COVID-19 and their guardians (COVID group). Infants of the same age and sex, evaluated before the pandemic period was matched with the sample (CONTROL group). Neonatal and prenatal data were extracted from medical records and screening for risk for developmental delay was done using the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children during a telephone interview or home visit. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney test, and binary logistic regression were applied.Results: In total, 54 infants were included, 27 on the COVID group. The risk for motor developmental delay was present in 15 infants (12 on the COVID group; p = 0.007), and 36 were at risk for socioemotional developmental (22 on the COVID group; p=0.021). A total of 63% of mothers of COVID group were at risk for depression (p=<0.001), while 51.9% of families were at risk for illicit substance abuse (p=.024) and 40.7% for food insecurity (p=<0.001). Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 during pregnancy presented 6.4-fold higher chances of risk for motor developmental delay and 4.0-fold for socioemotional developmental. Conclusion: The context of illness experienced by the mother during pregnancy associated with environmental risks may negatively impact motor and socioemotional development of children.