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In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and
Quan Zhou1,2, Senrui Liang1, Yanyan Sun3
1Department of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Insights
Neonatal maternal separation (NMS) in hospitals is linked to a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. This early-life stress may be a key factor for future preventative interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders are common in youth, yet prevention strategies are limited.
- Ethical concerns restrict population studies on early-life stress like neonatal maternal separation (NMS) in children.
- Research on the impact of in-hospital NMS on child development is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between in-hospital neonatal maternal separation (NMS) and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
- To identify potential early-life risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders.
- To inform future preventative and treatment interventions for these conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999-2008.
- Inclusion of participants aged 1-15 years, identifying exposure (in-hospital NMS) and outcomes (neurodevelopmental disorders).
- Multifactorial weighted logistic regression models were used to assess the association, adjusting for confounders.
Main Results:
- Data from 15,502 participants were analyzed.
- A significant positive association was found between in-hospital NMS and neurodevelopmental disorders (adjusted OR 1.82).
- This association remained consistent across various subgroups.
Conclusions:
- In-hospital NMS is a significant early-life stressor associated with increased neurodevelopmental disorder risk in children.
- NMS may represent a targetable risk factor for intervention.
- Further research on newborn-mother connection interventions is warranted to improve preventative and treatment strategies.
Background:
Neurodevelopmental disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents; however, preventing their onset and progression remains challenging. Due to ethical constraints, population-based studies investigating neonatal maternal separation (NMS) as an early-life stress in children and adolescents are scarce.
Methods:
We analyzed data from five cycles (1999-2000 to 2007-2008) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on participants aged 1-15 years. The participants were identified using their replies to survey interview questions. The exposure of interest was in-hospital NMS, while the primary outcome was neurodevelopmental disorders, which include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, and special education or early intervention services. Multifactorial weighted logistic regressions with confounder adjustment were performed for participants with available data on the exposures, confounders, and outcome.
Results:
Overall, data from 15502 participants (mean age, 8.05 years [SE 0.06]; 7759 males [weighted, 50.99%]) were analyzed. Neurodevelopmental disorders were more common in participants with prior experience of in-hospital NMS. Multifactorial weighted logistic regression model analyses revealed a significant positive association between in-hospital NMS and the occurrence risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (adjusted OR 1.82 [95% CI 1.40-2.37], P < 0.001). The pattern of association was largely consistent across the subgroups.
Conclusions:
In-hospital NMS as an early-life stress is associated with an increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. This may be a targetable risk factor for future trials to examine the long-term outcomes of newborn-mother connection interventions and to tailor preventative and treatment interventions.
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