Prenatal maternal infections and children ’s socioemotional development: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

We examined associations between prenatal maternal infections, both maternal-reported and hospital-recorded, and children’s socioemotional development, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at age three. Maternal-reported prenatal infections were associated with increased emotional symptoms, after adjusting for several potential confounds and covariates. Hospital-recorded prenatal infections were not associated with children’s socioemotional outcomes, after adjusting for potential confoun ding and covarying factors. Findings suggest that prenatal maternal infections, particularly those which the mothers remember months later, may be associated with increased emotional problems in early childhood. This emphasises the need for screening for and preventing infections during pregnancy. F urther, the occurrence of prenatal infection indicates the potential need for early intervention for children’s emotional difficulties.
Source: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research