Related Experiment Videos
Neurodevelopment in late infancy after prenatal exposure to benzodiazepines--a prospective study
L Laegreid1, G Hagberg, A Lundberg
1Department of Pediatrics II, University of Göteborg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Insights
Therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines (BZD) during pregnancy may negatively impact infant neurodevelopment, particularly fine motor skills. While birth weight normalized, head circumference and motor development showed persistent delays up to 18 months.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal medicine
- Developmental pediatrics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Maternal use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy requires careful assessment of potential infant outcomes.
- Benzodiazepines (BZD) are commonly prescribed, necessitating research into their developmental effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the growth and neurodevelopment of infants exposed to therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines (BZD) throughout pregnancy.
- To compare developmental trajectories between BZD-exposed infants and a non-exposed control group.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 17 infants exposed to BZD during pregnancy and 29 controls.
- Assessment of growth parameters (weight, head circumference) and neurodevelopmental milestones at 6, 10, and 18 months.
- Clinical evaluation for craniofacial anomalies, muscle tone, and movement patterns.
Main Results:
- BZD-exposed infants showed catch-up growth in birth weight but persistent deficits in head circumference.
- Delayed gross motor development at 6 and 10 months, with improvement by 18 months.
- Impaired fine motor function, notably delayed pincer grasp, and frequent deviations in muscle tone and movement patterns were observed.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic benzodiazepine use during pregnancy may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in children up to 18 months.
- Craniofacial anomalies and persistent fine motor delays are potential concerns.
- Long-term effects remain unevaluated, necessitating further follow-up studies.
Abstract:
Growth and neurodevelopment at 6, 10 and 18 months of age have been studied prospectively and longitudinally in a series of 17 children born to mothers who used benzodiazepines (BZD) in therapeutic doses as their only psychotropic drug throughout pregnancy. The results were compared with a group of 29 children born to mothers without any known use of psychotropic drugs. The BZD-exposed children caught up their low mean birth-weight, at an early stage, whereas the slightly decreased head circumference at birth remained at the same low level. In five infants, a pattern of craniofacial anomalies was found. Deviating neurodevelopmental and clinical symptoms and signs were common. The gross motor development was retarded at 6 and 10 months, but was nearly normal at 18 months. Impaired fine motor functions were found on all follow-up occasions. At 18 months, the most prominent finding was a delayed development of pincer grasp. The BZD-exposed children showed deviations in muscle tone and pattern of movements more frequently than children in the reference group. The study suggests that the use of BZD in therapeutic doses throughout pregnancy can have negative effects on the development of children up to 18 months of age. The long-term hazards cannot be evaluated from these results. A further follow-up at early school age is needed and is in progress.