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

Previous research suggests that prenatal maternal infections may be associated with increased odds of children having a neurodevelopmental disorder. However, little evidence exists on associations with broader child outcomes, especially subclinical symptoms. Participants were the N  = 14,021 members...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European child & adolescent psychiatry 2021-10, Vol.30 (10), p.1641-1650
Main Authors: Hall, Hildigunnur Anna, Speyer, Lydia Gabriela, Murray, Aja Louise, Auyeung, Bonnie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child
Child & adolescent psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child, Preschool
Childhood
Children
Cohort analysis
Cohort Studies
Early intervention
Emotional development
Emotional disturbances
Emotions
Female
Humans
Infections
Medical screening
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental Disorders
Millennium
Mothers
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Original Contribution
Pregnancy
Prenatal care
Psychiatry
Social behavior
United Kingdom - epidemiology
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Summary:Previous research suggests that prenatal maternal infections may be associated with increased odds of children having a neurodevelopmental disorder. However, little evidence exists on associations with broader child outcomes, especially subclinical symptoms. Participants were the N  = 14,021 members of the population-representative 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 confounding 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. Further, the occurrence of prenatal infection indicates the potential need for early intervention for children’s emotional difficulties.
ISSN:1018-8827
1435-165X
DOI:10.1007/s00787-020-01644-y