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Obstetrical Mode of Delivery and Childhood Behavior and Psychological Development in a British Cohort

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Abstract

The association between mode of delivery [specifically birth by Cesarean section (CS)] and induction of labor (IOL) psychological development at age 7 was assessed [including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and behavioral difficulties]. The Millennium cohort study, a nationally representative UK cohort of children (including 13,141 children), was used. There was no association between planned CS and ASD [aOR 0.58; (95 % CI 0.19–1.79)] or ADHD [aOR 0.54; (95 % CI 0.18–1.64)] analyses. Induced vaginal delivery was significantly associated with behavioral difficulties in unadjusted [OR 1.26; (95 % CI 1.03–1.54)], but not adjusted analysis [OR 1.15; (95 % CI 0.82–1.60)]. There was no association between mode of delivery and ASD or ADHD in this cohort. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between mode of delivery and IOL and psychological development.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out at The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT) (Science Foundation Ireland funded centre, Grant No. 12|RC|2272). We would like to thank the Millennium Cohort Study families, and the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London.

Author Contributions

EEAC and ASK conceived and designed the study. EAC acquired the data and performed the data management and statistical analysis. All authors assisted in the study design and interpretation of the data. EAC drafted the original manuscript, all other authors (JFC, LCK, TGD, PMK and ASK) revised it for intellectual content. All authors have given approval of the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork, 5th Floor Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland

    Eileen A. Curran, Louise C. Kenny & Ali S. Khashan

  2. APC Microbiome Institute, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    John F. Cryan

  3. APC Microbiome Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Timothy G. Dinan

  4. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Patricia M. Kearney & Ali S. Khashan

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  1. Eileen A. Curran
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Correspondence to Eileen A. Curran.

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Curran, E.A., Cryan, J.F., Kenny, L.C. et al. Obstetrical Mode of Delivery and Childhood Behavior and Psychological Development in a British Cohort. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 603–614 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2616-1

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