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 were recruited in rural SA. Demographics, HIV disclosure, depression, male involvement, and alcohol use at baseline were assessed. Male involvement, depression, infant HIV serostatus and development were assessed 12 and more months postnatally. Half of the women reported depression prenatally and one-third reported depression postnatally. In multivariable logistic regression, not cohabiting with their male partner, nondisclosure of HIV status, and postnatal depression predicted cognitive delay; decreased prenatal male involvement predicted delayed gross motor development. Assessing pregnancy-related depression among HIVinfected women and infant development and increasing male involvement may reduce negative developmental outcomes among HIV-exposed or infected infants.
Human Sciences Research Council (Sat,) studied this question.