Early motor behavior of infants exposed to maternal mental health disorders — A South African perspective. (May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Burger, Marlette; Einspieler, Christa; Jordaan, Esme R.; Unger, Marianne; Niehaus, Dana J.H.
• Is Part Of: Early human development. Volume 168(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05
• Subjects: Maternal mental health disorders -- Infants -- Early motor behavior -- General Movement Assessment (GMA) -- Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) -- Psychotropic medication; Fetus -- Periodicals; Neonatology -- Periodicals; Prenatal influences -- Periodicals; 612.65
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2022.105572
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0378-3782

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Over the past five decades the bulk of research on exposure to maternal mental health disorders and infant neurodevelopment has been generated in high-income countries. The current study included infants, residing in low-income communities in South Africa, born to mothers with a history of psychiatric disorders. Aim: To assess the motor behavior of 10- to 20-week-old infants exposed to maternal mental health disorders, and a subgroup of infants with prenatal psychotropic medication exposure. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional descriptive study, with a longitudinal subgroup analysis. General Movement Assessment (GMA), including the Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R), was used at 10–20 weeks corrected age to assess infant motor behavior. Results: The study included 112 infants. No significant difference (p = 0.523) was found on the MOS-R between infants exposed to maternal mental health disorders (n = 70) and the comparison group (n = 42). Both the exposed and comparison groups scored within the mildly reduced range on the MOS-R. No significant differences were found in a subgroup of infants with prenatal exposure to multi-class psychotropic medication (n = 17), mono-class psychotropic medication (n = 35) or valproate exposure (n = 10) (p > 0.1). Conclusion: No association was found between exposure to maternal mental health disorders or exposure to psychotropic medication and infant motor behavior at 10–20 weeks post-term age on the MOS-R. Future research should focus on the contribution of exposure to specific classes and types of psychotropic medication on neurodevelopmental outcome of infants in larger cohorts. Highlights: Impact of maternal mental health disorders (MMHD) on early motor behavior in African MMHD were not significantly associated with a lower Motor Optimality Score (MOS). Prenatal psychotropic exposure had no significant effect on infant motor behavior. The role of African cultural caregiving on motor behavior merits further research.