Highmaternalstress,prenatalCOVID-19infectionmayaffectattentionspanininfants:study_GuangmingOnlineHighmaternalstress,prenatalCOVID-19infectionmayaffectattentionspanininfants:studyLOSANGELES,Sept.27(Xinhua)--Formotherswhoexperiencehighstressduringtheirpregnancy,prenatalCOVID-19infectionmaybeassociatedwithanincreasedriskforimpairedattentionanddelayedsocioemotionalandcognitivefunctioningintheirinfants,accordingtoanewstudypublishedonWednesday.Thestudy,publishedinPediatricResearch,included167mothersandtheirinfants.ThefindingsshowmaternalpsychosocialstressandCOVID-19infectionduringpregnancyjointlypredictedinfantattentionat6months.InmothersreportingpositiveCOVID-19infection,higherprenatalpsychosocialstresswasassociatedwithlowerinfantattentionat6months.Exploratoryanalysesindicatedthatinfantattentioninturnpredictedsocioemotionalfunctionandneurodevelopmentalriskat12months,accordingtothestudyledbytheU.S.NationalInstitutesofHealth(NIH).ThefindingshighlightmaternalstressasamodifiabletargettopotentiallyreducenegativeoutcomesfromprenatalCOVID-19infectionandthepossibleprotectivebenefitstoexpectantmothersofgettingvaccinatedforCOVID-19duringtheirpregnancy,saidNIH.■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.