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Published on: August 12, 2020
Maternal sensitivity and mother-infant attachment are associated with antibiotic uptake in infancy
Marina Fuertes1,2, Joana L Gonçalves1, Anabela Faria3
1Centro de Psicologia, University of Porto, Portugal.
Insights
Infant antibiotic use was linked to mother-infant attachment. Lower maternal sensitivity and insecure-ambivalent attachment correlated with higher antibiotic consumption, raising concerns about future health and antibiotic resistance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Microbiology
Background:
- Attachment security is linked to health outcomes and symptom reporting.
- Early life antibiotic exposure raises concerns for long-term health and antibiotic resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal association between infant antibiotic uptake at 9 months and mother-infant attachment at 12 months.
- To explore the relationship between maternal sensitivity, attachment styles, and antibiotic consumption in infants.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design.
- Logistic regression analyses to assess associations.
- Data collected on infant antibiotic uptake and mother-infant attachment at specific time points.
Main Results:
- Lower maternal sensitivity was significantly associated with increased odds of infant antibiotic uptake.
- A high percentage of insecure-ambivalent infants (89.7%) consumed antibiotics compared to avoidant (32.5%) and secure infants (21.5%).
Conclusions:
- Maternal behavior and mother-infant attachment influence infant antibiotic consumption patterns.
- The findings highlight a potential pathway linking early attachment to antibiotic use, with implications for public health.
- Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and long-term consequences.
Abstract:
Attachment security has been associated with health status and symptom reporting. In this longitudinal study, we investigated the association between antibiotics uptake by infants at 9-months and mother-infant attachment at 12-months. Logistic regression analyses indicated that lower maternal sensitivity was associated with increased odds of antibiotic uptake. Furthermore, 89.7% of insecure-ambivalent infants consumed antibiotics, which contrasted with 32.5% of avoidant infants and 21.5% of secure infants. This study suggests that maternal behavior and mother-infant attachment impact on antibiotic consumption, which is worrying because antibiotics may lead to several health problems later in life and antibiotic-resistance.
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