Prenatal infections

By Metro Creative

Maternal prenatal infections affect millions of women each year, and a recent study found that the timing of those infections could affect children’s cognitive development.

A 2022 study published in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth found that infections in the third trimester were significantly associated with decreased verbal IQ at age four and total IQ at age eight.

Such findings underscore the potentially significant impact prenatal infections can have, but researchers behind the study noted that further study is necessary to determine if effects persist in future cognitive outcomes.

— Metro Creative