Maternal Depression and Infant Neurodevelopment in Rural Communities in Zamfara State

This study investigates the association between maternal depression and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes in rural communities in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria. Maternal depression during the postnatal period is a significant public health concern in low and middle-income countries, with evidence from diverse settings linking depressive symptoms in mothers to impaired infant cognitive, motor, and social development. This research employed a prospective cohort design following 245 mother-infant pairs from six weeks postpartum to twelve months, recruited from primary health centres in Gusau and Maradun. Maternal depression was assessed at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, while infant neurodevelopment was evaluated at 6 and 12 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition. Generalised estimating equations modelled the longitudinal associations. Results indicate that persistent maternal depression across the first six postpartum months significantly predicts lower infant cognitive and language composite scores at 12 months, over and above the effects of poverty and nutritional status. Caregiver sensitivity, assessed through structured observation, partially mediated this association. Fathers' social support emerged as a significant negative predictor of persistent maternal depression. The study recommends the integration of postnatal depression screening and treatment into maternal and child health services in Zamfara State. Keywords: maternal depression, infant neurodevelopment, rural communities, Zamfara State, postnatal depression.