Fetal inflammatory syndrome associated with neuropsychiatric disorders

Key takeaways:

• Children born with fetal inflammatory syndrome more likely had ADHD, ASD, conduct disorders and PTSD.
• No significant difference was found for use of antianxiety or antidepressant medications.

Children born to placentas with fetal inflammatory syndrome are more likely to be diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disorders, according to a study published in Translational Psychiatry.

“We found an increased risk [for] neuropsychiatric disorders in children born with [fetal inflammatory syndrome (FIRS)] compared [with] those without FIRS,” Blake Gibson, MD, from the department of pathology at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and colleagues wrote. “More specifically, there is increased incidence of [autism spectrum disorder], ADHD, conduct disorder, PTSD and any psychiatric disorder in these children, which was significant even after adjusting for maternal history of psychiatric disorders, maternal substance use during pregnancy and maternal lifetime history of suicide attempts.”

In a retrospective cohort study of 4,851 children born with placentas that had inflammation in the peripartum period and 31,927 controls with normal placentas born between Jan. 1, 1999, and April 1, 2018, Gibson and colleagues examined the link between FIRS and neuropsychiatric disorders during childhood.

The researchers found that children born to placentas with FIRS were more likely to be diagnosed with neuropsychiatric disorders (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.09-1.35), including ASD (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.08-1.67), ADHD (OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07-1.49), conduct disorder (OR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.24-1.81) and PTSD (OR = 2.46; 95% CI, 1.21-5.04).

However, the researchers found no significant difference between children born with FIRS and those without in their use of antianxiety medications, antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers.

“This study has potential implications for clinical care and prevention approaches,” Gibson and colleagues wrote. “Children born with placenta meeting criteria for FIRS should be monitored closely for early identification and treatment.”