Behavioural and neuropsychological outcomes in children exposed in utero to maternal labour epidural analgesia

Recent studies report conflicting results regarding the relationship between labour epidural analgesia (LEA) in mothers and neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring. We evaluated behavioural and neuropsychological test scores in children of mothers who used LEA.

Citation:
Isik OG, Junaid S, Guo L, ……. von Ungern Sternberg BS, Whitehouse AJO, Li G, Ing C. Behavioural and neuropsychological outcomes in children exposed in utero to maternal labour epidural analgesia. Br J Anaesth. 2024.

Keywords:
Behaviour; labour epidural analgesia; neurodevelopment; neurotoxicity; obstetric anaesthesia

Abstract:
Recent studies report conflicting results regarding the relationship between labour epidural analgesia (LEA) in mothers and neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring. We evaluated behavioural and neuropsychological test scores in children of mothers who used LEA.