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Maternal fever during pregnancy and offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Kristin Gustavson1,2, Helga Ask3, Eivind Ystrom3,4

  • 1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. kristin.gustavson@fhi.no.

Scientific Reports
|July 4, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Maternal fever during early pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. This association, particularly for inattention symptoms, persists regardless of acetaminophen use.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Maternal fever during gestation is a known risk factor for adverse child development.
  • Understanding the specific impact of prenatal fever on neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal fever during pregnancy and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring.
  • To examine the relationship between maternal fever and ADHD sub-dimensions: inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (>114,000 children).
  • ADHD diagnoses obtained from the Norwegian Patient Register.
  • Maternal fever exposure and ADHD symptom reporting via questionnaires and regression analyses.

Main Results:

  • Maternal fever in the first trimester increased ADHD diagnosis risk (OR=1.31).
  • Repeated fever exposure in the first trimester significantly elevated ADHD risk (OR=2.64).
  • Prenatal fever exposure was associated with higher inattention symptoms in offspring, irrespective of acetaminophen use.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal fever in early pregnancy is a potential risk factor for ADHD, especially inattentive symptoms.
  • Acetaminophen use does not appear to alter the risk associated with maternal fever.
  • Further research into the mechanisms linking prenatal fever and ADHD is warranted.

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