Risk of Global Developmental Delay in Infants Born from Mothers with COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study
Pedro Ykaro Fialho Silva1, Maria Clara Lima da Cruz1, Ingrid Guerra Azevedo2
1Physical Therapy Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Insights
Infants born to mothers with COVID-19 showed a significantly higher risk of motor developmental delay and socioemotional issues. This highlights the need for early screening and support for these children and their families.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Maternal COVID-19 infection during pregnancy may impact infant neurodevelopment.
- Limited research exists on the long-term developmental outcomes for infants exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero.
- Understanding these risks is crucial for timely intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the risk of global developmental delay in infants born to mothers who had COVID-19 during pregnancy.
- To assess motor and socioemotional development in infants exposed to maternal COVID-19.
- To identify potential risk factors associated with developmental delays in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 54 infants aged 1-12 months.
- Comparison between 27 infants born to mothers with COVID-19 and 27 controls.
- Utilized medical records, child health booklets, and the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children for data collection.
- Statistical analyses included Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney test, and binary logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Infants in the COVID-19 group had a 6.3-fold increased risk of motor developmental delay.
- 15 infants overall showed risk of motor delay (12 in COVID-19 group); 36 at risk of behavioral alteration (22 in COVID-19 group).
- Motor delay was linked to socioemotional alterations (OR=6.4, p=0.01). Maternal mental health and socioeconomic factors were also noted.
Conclusions:
- Maternal COVID-19 exposure in pregnancy is associated with a high risk of motor developmental delay and socioemotional alterations in infants.
- This study addresses a gap in understanding the effects of maternal COVID-19 on infant development.
- Further research and screening programs are recommended to improve health outcomes for at-risk infants and families.
Purpose:
To investigate the risk of global developmental delay in infants born from mothers with COVID-19.
Patients And Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and November 2021, with 54 infants of both sexes aged between 1 and 12 months. Twenty-seven infants born from mothers diagnosed with COVID-19 during pregnancy composed the COVID-19 group, whereas infants born from mothers not exposed to COVID-19 composed the control group. Medical records and child health booklets provided neonatal and prenatal data. The Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children screened the risk of global developmental delay during a phone interview or home visit. Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney test, and binary logistic regression were applied.
Results:
The risk of motor developmental delay was identified in 15 infants (12 in the COVID-19 group), while 36 were at risk of behavioral alteration (22 in the COVID-19 group). The COVID-19 group presented a 6.3-fold risk of motor developmental delay. Motor developmental delay was also significantly associated with socioemotional alterations (odds ratio = 6.4, p = 0.01). Regarding families of infants in the COVID-19 group, 63% of the mothers presented risk of depression, 51.9% risk of substance abuse, 40.7% risk of food insecurity, and 7.4% risk of domestic violence. The inflexibility subscale of the survey was a statistically relevant variable for the socioemotional domain.
Conclusion:
Infants born from mothers with COVID-19 were at high risk of motor developmental delay and socioemotional alterations. Although, this study fills an important gap in the literature regarding the influence of maternal exposure to COVID-19 on infant development, new studies screening families with infants at risk of developmental delay may significantly impact maternal and child health-related indicators, such as physical health, emotional development and social behavior.
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