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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

511

Impact of maternal dyslipidemia on infant neurodevelopment: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

Noriko Motoki1, Yuji Inaba2, Takumi Shibazaki3

  • 1Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.

Brain & Development
|June 1, 2022
PubMed

Insights

High maternal serum cholesterol in early pregnancy may negatively impact infant neurodevelopment, increasing risks for communication and gross motor delays at 12 months. This finding highlights the importance of monitoring maternal cholesterol levels during pregnancy.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Developmental disorders have complex etiologies involving genetic and environmental factors.
  • Maternal serum total cholesterol (TC) in early pregnancy is a potential, yet understudied, influence on infant neurodevelopment.
  • Understanding these influences is critical for early identification and intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal serum total cholesterol (TC) levels during early pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood.
  • To assess the risk of developmental disorders based on maternal TC levels.
  • To provide insights into the role of maternal metabolic health in fetal neurodevelopment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 31,797 singleton births within a large national birth cohort study.
  • Identified developmental disorders using Ages and Stages Questionnaire, third edition (ASQ-3) scores below -2 standard deviations at 12 months.
  • Employed multiple logistic regression analysis to examine correlations between maternal TC quartiles and developmental disorder risk.

Main Results:

  • Analysis of 27,836 participants revealed significant associations between elevated maternal TC and increased risk of screen-positive status for communication delays (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.37).
  • Higher TC levels were also linked to a greater risk of gross motor delays (aOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03-1.25).
  • These associations remained significant after controlling for potential confounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest a potential deleterious effect of maternal hypercholesterolemia in early pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment.
  • Elevated maternal TC may adversely affect age-appropriate skill acquisition by 12 months of age.
  • This large-scale study underscores the importance of maternal cholesterol management during pregnancy for optimal child development.
Abstract

Keywords:
Ages and Stages QuestionnaireDevelopmental disorderInfantMaternal serum cholesterol levelNeurodevelopment

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