Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Resilience, Paternal Social Health, Infant Developmental Milestone Achievement during First Year of Life

Maternal risk factors, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and a parental history of drug use negatively impact offspring health. Maternal resiliency mitigates these risks. However, the interplay and impact of these factors on infant developmental milestones (DM) achievement during the first year of life is understudied. To investigate the association between maternal ACEs, maternal resiliency, and parental social history on infant developmental milestones (DM) achievement. 107 mother-infant pairs from a New Jersey urban tertiary level academic hospital Jersey between 2020 and 2022. Participants were approached between their 2nd trimester of pregnancy and infants’ 2-month well visit. Maternal health and paternal history of drug use were assessed. Mothers completed the 7C's Tool survey and Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire. Infant DM achievement, including motor, social, language, and cognitive DM, were collected at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 12-months well-visits. A logistic regression model analyzed relationships between maternal ACE scores and resilience, paternal health factors, and infant DM achievement. Paternal marijuana use decreased the odds of DM achievement at 2- months (p=0.003), and social/emotional DM achievement at 2-months (p=0.005). Paternal mental health challenges have lower odds of meeting all DM achievement at 4- months (p=0.043). For every unit increase in 7C’s Tool survey, with higher increase reflecting lower maternal resilience, there were lower odds of meeting all DM within 4 months (p=0.044). Paternal use of cannabis increases the odds of a child meeting all DM at 4 months (p=0.042). There was no significant association between infant DM and maternal ACEs. Our findings support growing evidence that maternal ACEs and paternal marijuana use influence infant development. Future studies should explore the influence of maternal ACEs and parental drug use on neonatal outcomes.