Maternal Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Infant Outcomes - Summary - MDSpire

Maternal Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Infant Outcomes

  • By

  • Catherine Psaras

  • Rita H. Ryu

  • Rebecca Baer

  • Kristin Palmsten

  • Lori Kroh

  • Jeanne Townsend

  • Jaime Barea

  • Jerasimos Ballas

  • Gretchen Bandoli

  • May 27, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

Objective:

To examine associations of maternal IDD subtypes with NICU admission, SGA birth, and prematurity, and to estimate the proportion of excess risk associated with modifiable maternal characteristics.

Key Findings:
  • Maternal IDDs are associated with a 50% to 80% increased risk of preterm birth and NICU admission.
  • Previous studies aggregated IDD subtypes, potentially obscuring distinct effects.
  • Causal mediation analyses were used to identify modifiable maternal characteristics contributing to infant health outcomes.
Interpretation:

Limitations:
  • IDDs among birthing people are rare, leading to aggregation of subtypes.
  • Potential underestimation of true effects due to adjustment for mediators.
Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

Maternal Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Infant Outcomes

  • by Catherine Psaras, Rita H. Ryu, Rebecca Baer, Kristin Palmsten, Lori Kroh, Jeanne Townsend, Jaime Barea, Jerasimos Ballas, Gretchen Bandoli

  • May 27, 2026

Related Content

Mandatory Training Modules Deserve a Harder Look

A JAMA Viewpoint argues that 4 million physician-hours spent on compliance modules each year warrants institutional reassessment.

Impact of Maternal Asthma and Asthma Treatment During Pregnancy on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: Findings from a Cohort Study of 179,024 Children

Prenatal Azithromycin Exposure and Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children