Can maternal depression increase infant risk of illness and growth impairment in developing countries?
Abstract
Summary: Despite relative improvement in living conditions and availability of modern healthcare, infant mortality rates continue to be very high in many developing countries. High rates of depression have also been reported in women in these countries. The continuous care and attention of children is a demanding task, and poor physical or mental health in mothers might be expected to have adverse consequences on their children’s health, nutrition and psychological well‐being. Review of published literature reveals very little research in developing countries on the association between poor mental health in mothers and the subsequent physical well‐being of their children. We hypothesize that the level of care provided by mothers with depression may put their infants at higher risk of infection and impaired growth, compared with infants of mothers without depression. We outline approaches to test such a hypothesis in a developing country, and discuss its implications.
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Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months for persons with and without HIV by the WHO.
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- Authors
- Rahman, A., Harrington, R., & Bunn, J.
- Affiliations
- Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (GB)
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Harrington, R.
- Venue
- Child: Care, Health and Development
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 51-56
- ISSN
- 0305-1862 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2214
- OpenAlex
- W2158652408
- Cited by
- 148
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 3.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child Care Health and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LSTM Online Archive (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Keywords
- maternal depression, infant health, infant mortality, child nutrition, infection risk, maternal mental health, child care, developing countries
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Child Development, Depressive Disorder, Developing Countries, Female, Growth Disorders, Health Status Indicators, Humans, Infant, Infant Mortality, Infant Welfare, Maternal Welfare, Pregnancy, Risk Factors
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