.
In addition, researchers will survey a sample of 3,400 women to collect data during their pregnancies and at one, six, and 12-months postpartum to gauge associations between COVID-19, psychological distress, longer-term maternal health outcomes, and child development.
“How COVID-19 affects families during and after pregnancy are very complex and understudied,” said Kristin Sznajder, lead investigator and assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences.
Moreover, this study will examine the potentially uneven burden of the pandemic across communities characterized by race, ethnicity, neighborhood, poverty, education, and maternal mental well-being.
This research builds upon a preliminary study in 2020, which was led by Sznajder, and funded by a grant through the Penn State Huck Institutes for Life Sciences and Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics.
According to the investigators, the current study will contribute to the development of future interventions that could improve health care for mothers and their children during a pandemic.
An external advisory committee, representing top researchers and care providers with expertise in maternal and child health and underserved communities, will support the research team.
Source: Medindia
