Risks of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability in children delivered by caesarean section: A population-based cohort study

This population-based study investigated the risks of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disabilities among children delivered by Cesarean section (CS) in comparison with those who were delivered by vaginal delivery (VD). The Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database from 2004 to 2016 registered 675,718 and 1,208,983 children delivered by CS and by VD, respectively. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression model demonstrated that children delivered by CS had significantly higher risks of ADHD, ASD, and intellectual disability than those delivered by VD after the confounding effects of maternal and child factors were controlled for.

Automated summary

This study found that children delivered by Cesarean section had a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disabilities compared to those delivered by vaginal delivery.