Increased risks seen for autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, among others<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids is associated with some mental disorders in offspring, such as mood, anxiety, and stress-related disorders, according to a study published online Jan. 3 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Kristina Laugesen, Ph.D., from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues examined the association between prenatal exposure to systemic glucocorticoids and mental disorders in offspring at age 15 years in a nationwide, population-based cohort study. The final cohort included 1,061,548 infants: 31,518 born to mothers at risk of preterm delivery and 288,747 born to mothers with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders.<\/p>\n The researchers found that among offspring born to mothers at risk for preterm delivery, the adjusted risks for exposed versus unexposed were 6.6 versus 4.3 percent for autism spectrum disorders; 1.6 versus 1.3 percent for intellectual disabilities; 5.8 versus 4.3 percent for attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder; and 7.2 versus 4.6 percent for mood, anxiety, and stress-related disorders. Among offspring born to mothers with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders, the corresponding adjusted risks for exposed versus unexposed were 4.8 versus 3.8 percent; 1.1 versus 0.8 percent; 5.5 versus 4.4 percent; and 6.6 versus 4.6 percent, respectively. Through an active comparator and sibling design, these findings were confirmed.<\/p>\n “Our findings should be balanced against the risks of leaving pregnant people untreated and viewed in light of low to moderate absolute risk differences,” the authors write.<\/p>\n One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n