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PRENATAL AND OBSTETRIC RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF DISABILITIES IN CHILDHOOD

Ksenija Romstein1, Dubravko Habek2, Tena Velki1

  • 1Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek Faculty of Education, Osijek, Croatia.

Acta Clinica Croatica
|October 6, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal and obstetric factors like cesarean birth, prematurity, and benzodiazepine use are linked to developmental disabilities. Cumulative risks, not single factors, increase the likelihood of these conditions in children.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics
  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Identifying prenatal and obstetric risk factors is crucial for understanding and mitigating developmental disabilities.
  • Previous research has explored various factors, but a comprehensive analysis linking specific obstetric events to distinct developmental outcomes is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between prenatal and obstetric risk factors and the development of disabilities in children.
  • To determine if specific risk factors, such as medication use, delivery mode, and gestational duration, correlate with particular types of developmental disabilities.

Main Methods:

  • Retrieved data on medication use (benzodiazepines), gestational weeks, delivery mode, duration, and fetal presentation from medical records and interviews.
  • Clinically assessed the developmental status of 107 children using standardized methods.
  • Employed Fisher exact test with post hoc analysis of standardized residuals to identify statistically significant correlations.

Main Results:

  • Cesarean section, prematurity, and maternal benzodiazepine use were significantly associated with multiple disabilities.
  • Autism spectrum disorders showed a higher incidence with post-term delivery and induced labor.
  • Developmental coordination disorder was more frequently observed in post-term births.
  • No significant correlation was found between delivery duration or fetal presentation and developmental disabilities.

Conclusions:

  • Developmental disabilities result from a cumulative effect of multiple risk factors rather than a single cause.
  • Interdisciplinary and longitudinal research, including educational outcomes, is recommended for a deeper understanding of developmental disabilities.

Keywords:
CausalityDevelopmental disabilitiesParturitionPregnancyRisk factors

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