A new study of over a million Danish children has linked prenatal exposure to common steroid medications, used to prevent preterm births and improve fetal lung development, to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurodevelopmental problems.
While there was a link between prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids and mental health, the risk differences “were low or moderate,” Kristina Laugesen, corresponding study author from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, told The Epoch Times.
Study Raises Questions About Drug Safety
Systemic glucocorticoids are synthetic derivatives of cortisol, a natural steroid produced by the adrenal glands with profound anti-inflammatory effects. Also called corticosteroids or cortisones, this class of drugs includes frequently prescribed medications such as prednisone, prednisolone, and hydrocortisone. These effectively treat various conditions, ranging from rashes and inflammatory bowel disease to asthma.
The drugs play a vital role in preventing preterm birth while also improving survival rates for premature infants by reducing both stillbirths and neonatal deaths within the first 28 days of life.
The new study, published in JAMA Network Open on Friday, analyzed data from children born between 1996 and 2016 and has raised questions regarding the safety of glucocorticoid treatments during pregnancy.
Researchers examined over 1 million live births, focusing specifically on 31,518 infants born to women at risk of delivering prematurely and 288,747 born to women with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders. People with autoimmune diseases are often prescribed glucocorticoids to decrease inflammation.
Among mothers at risk of preterm delivery who were exposed to glucocorticoids, the risk of their children developing autism spectrum disorders was 6.6 percent, compared to 4.3 percent for babies not exposed to the common medications. Similarly, the risk for ADHD was 5.8 percent for the exposed group versus 4.3 percent for the unexposed.
The findings uncovered a similar pattern for infants born to mothers being treated for autoimmune or inflammatory disorders but who were not at risk of preterm delivery.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders was 4.8 percent for those exposed to glucocorticoids, compared to 3.8 percent for unexposed children. For ADHD, prevalence figures were 5.5 percent for the exposed group versus 4.4 percent for the unexposed. Additionally, children exposed to glucocorticoids showed a higher incidence of mood, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.
