Observational Longitudinal Study on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Children: Investigating the Impact of Antenatal Depressive Symptoms

Author(s): Sambhu Prasad, Santosh Kumar, Niska Sinha, Sweta Gupta, Anant Kumar Verma

Background: Child neurodevelopmental impairments include cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor development due to antenatal depression. The foetus's development is heavily influenced by mother mental health, which may cause long-term risks. The study aimed to investigate the relationship among antenatal depressive symptoms, evaluated serially during pregnancy, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children at 30 months, with a particular focus on the impact of maternal B12 supplementation.

Methods: This was an observational longitudinal study which involved 300 mother-child dyads. Inclusion criteria targeted women aged 18 years and above who had enrolled for prenatal care by 14 weeks of gestation. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), while child neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition (BSID-III).

Results: The study of 300 mother-child pairs, mainly from rural areas (68%), found that 32% of mothers had antenatal depressive symptoms. Infants of these mothers had significantly lower cognitive (85 ± 10 vs. 95 ± 12, P < 0.01) and motor scores (87 ± 11 vs. 97 ± 13, P < 0.05) on the BSID-III compare to non-depressed mother. Lower maternal vitamin B12 and higher homocysteine levels correlated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes. B12 supplementation during pregnancy improved cognitive scores, showing a protective effect. Higher social support and effective coping mechanisms were linked to better cognitive and social-emotional outcomes in children, emphasizing the need for integrated mental health and nutritional care during pregnancy.

Conclusion: Antenatal depressive symptoms are significantly related with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in children at 30 months, underscoring the importance of early detection and management of antenatal depression.

Recommendations: The study suggests integrating mental health and nutritional support into prenatal care programs to mitigate the risks to child development associated with antenatal depression. Further research is recommended to explore the efficacy of various interventions.