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Prenatal maternal stress and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

Purpose

Exposure to prenatal stress has been reported to affect the risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring; however, there is currently no clear consensus. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the existing literature on the association between prenatal stress and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring.

Methods

Based on a registered protocol, we searched several electronic databases for articles in accordance with a detailed search strategy. We performed this study following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Results

Prenatal stress was significantly associated with an increased risk of both ASD (pooled OR 1.64 [95% CI 1.15–2.34]; I2 = 90%; 15 articles) and ADHD (pooled OR 1.72 [95% CI 1.27–2.34]; I2 = 85%; 12 articles).

Conclusions

This study suggests that prenatal stress may be associated with ASD and ADHD; however, several limitations in the reviewed literature should be noted including significant heterogeneity and there is a need for carefully controlled future studies in this area.

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Acknowledgements

This publication has emanated from research conducted with the financial support of the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) in the form of a research centre grant to the Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research under the grant number INFANT-12/RC/2272.

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Author notes

  1. Gerard W. O’Keeffe and Ali S. Khashan contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Nicla Manzari & Franco Baldoni

  2. The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Nicla Manzari & Ali S. Khashan

  3. School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Karen Matvienko-Sikar & Ali S. Khashan

  4. Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience and Cork Neuroscience Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    Gerard W. O’Keeffe

  5. University College Cork, Room 4.11, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, Ireland

    Ali S. Khashan

  6. University College Cork, Room 4.119, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, Ireland

    Gerard W. O’Keeffe

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  1. Nicla Manzari
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  2. Karen Matvienko-Sikar
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Correspondence to Gerard W. O’Keeffe or Ali S. Khashan.

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Manzari, N., Matvienko-Sikar, K., Baldoni, F. et al. Prenatal maternal stress and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in the offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 54, 1299–1309 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01745-3

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