The impact of maternal mental health disorders on fetal neurodevelopment-considering sociodemographic factors: A systematic literature review

¹ Departement of Midwifery, State University of Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesian
² Department of Nursing, College of Medicine National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
³ Departement of Biochemistry, Defence Service Medical Academy Yangon, Myanmar
⁴ Midwifery Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Aisyiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: nidyanurvitriana@unesa.ac.id

Abstract

Pregnancy is a critical period for fetal development, which is influenced by the mother’s psychological condition. This systematic literature review explores the latest findings related to the impact of maternal mental health during pregnancy influenced by sociodemographic factors on fetal neurodevelopmental disorders. This review synthesizes findings from articles published between 2015 and 2025 in the Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, following the PRISMA guidelines. The search results yielded 1,140 articles; after applying the filtering process, the final result was 20 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The mental health of pregnant women, especially when experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression, has a tangible impact on the formation of fetal brain structure and function. Social factors such as low economic status, low maternal Education and social support, limited access to health services, and global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic can worsen maternal mental health and affect fetal brain development. The importance of a comprehensive approach that includes mental health services during pregnancy and social support can be used as an effort to prevent neurological developmental disorders in the fetus.