Infant Development and Pre- and Post-partum Depression in Rural South African HIV-Infected Women.

Abstract

HIV-exposed infants born to depressed women may be at risk for adverse developmental outcomes. Half of HIV-infected women in rural South Africa (SA) may suffer from pregnancy-related depression. This pilot study examined the impact of depression in HIV-infected women in rural SA on infant development. Mother-infant dyads (N=69) were recruited in rural SA. Demographics, HIV disclosure, depression, male involvement, and alcohol use at baseline (18.35±5.47weeks gestation) were assessed. Male involvement, depression, infant HIV serostatus and development were assessed 12months postnatally. Half of the women (age=29±5) reported depression prenatally and one-third reported depression postnatally. In multivariable logistic regression, not cohabitingwith their male partner, nondisclosure of HIV status, and postnatal depression predicted cognitive delay; decreased prenatal male involvement predicted delayed gross motor development (ps<0.05). Assessing pregnancy-related depression among HIV-infected women and infant development and increasing male involvement may reduce negative developmental outcomes among HIV-exposed or infected infants.