Maternal and paternal determinants of infant health: a cross-sectional study in four countries during the COVID-19 era.

BACKGROUND: Infant health is profoundly influenced by socioeconomic factors, parental lifestyle, and prenatal care. Understanding the critical role of all these factors can guide targeted public health interventions to reduce infant morbidity and mortality. AIMS: To investigate the impact or association of various maternal and paternal factors, including periconceptional care, pregnancy-related health conditions, antenatal care, smoking, radiation, nutrition, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and COVID-19 vaccination, on infant health in Egypt, Palestine, Yemen, and Jordan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 445 mothers from August 2024 to October 2024 using a pretested and well-structured questionnaire. A well-trained physician conducted a face-to-face interview to collect data. Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant associations. RESULTS: The mean ±SD maternal age was 27.72 ± 6.4 years, and the paternal age was 32.35 ± 7.25 years. Most mothers were Palestinian (34.8%) and Egyptian (26.7%), with 62.7% residing in urban areas. Key findings revealed that smoking (P = 0.042), inadequate intake of folic acid during pregnancy (P = 0.003), and non-prescription drug use (P = 0.008) were significantly associated with infant diseases. High income levels (P < 0.05) and routine prenatal visits (P = 0.03) showed significant associations with healthy infants. Chronic parental illnesses, being unaware of pregnancy for a longer time, hyperemesis gravidarum, and maternal COVID-19 during pregnancy were all important factors that were linked to a higher incidence of infant diseases (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of socioeconomic factors, healthy parental lifestyle, and prenatal care in improving infant health outcomes. Public health initiatives should focus on promoting awareness of maternal health, early medical intervention, and socioeconomic support to enhance maternal and infant well-being. To explore the long-term impacts of these factors and develop targeted strategies for vulnerable populations, further research is necessary.