Maternal prenatal social contact during the COVID-19 pandemic predicts infant birth weight

Abstract

BackgroundSocial connectedness and mental health have been associated with infant birth weight, and both were compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic. AimsWe sought to examine whether changes in maternal prenatal social contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with infant birth weight and if maternal prenatal mental health mediated this association. Study designA longitudinal study of mothers and their infants born during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. SubjectsThe sample consisted of 282 United States-based mother-infant dyads. Outcome measuresDepressive symptoms were measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II, anxiety was measured with the State Anxiety Inventory, and stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale 14. We also asked participants about pandemic-related changes in social contact across various domains. Adjusted birth weight was calculated from birth records or participant-report when birth records were unavailable. ResultsDecreases in social contact during the pandemic were associated with lower adjusted infant birth weight (B = 76.82, SE = 35.82, p = .035). This association was mediated by maternal prenatal depressive symptoms [Effect = 15.06, 95 % CI (0.19, 35.58)] but not by prenatal anxiety [95 % CI (−0.02, 32.38)] or stress [95 % CI (−0.31, 26.19)]. ConclusionThese findings highlight concerns for both mothers and infants in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, since birth weight can have long-term health implications and the social restructuring occasioned by the pandemic may lead to lasting changes in social behavior.