Association of labour epidural analgesia exposure with infant neurodevelopment: secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Our findings do not support an association between labour epidural analgesia exposure and increased neurodevelopmental risk at 1 yr of age.
Study context
- Population
- Singleton vaginal births, Jiangsu Birth Cohort, 1 November 2017–1 October 2022
- Participants
- 1,811 mother-infant dyads
- Comparison
- Labour epidural analgesia exposure vs no exposure
- Labour epidural analgesian = 1,224
- Primary endpoint
- Classification as 'emerging or at risk' (raw score below domain-specific threshold) on the Bayley-III Screening Test in five domains: cognition, receptive communication, expressive communication, fine motor, gross motor
- Follow-up
- 1 yr of age
Methodological detailsprospective data collection, generalised linear models adjusted for confounders, Neurodevelopment assessed by trained paediatricians at 1 yr with the Bayley-III Screening Test
- Prospective data collection
- Generalised linear models adjusted for confounders
- Neurodevelopment assessed by trained paediatricians at 1 yr with the Bayley-III Screening Test
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Emerging or at risk, by domain · 1 yr
Labour epidural analgesia
67.6%
1224
Labour epidural analgesia vs No labour epidural analgesiaAdjusted relative risk (95% CI)P value
Cognition
1.24(0.89–1.74)
P = 0.205Receptive communication
0.78(0.58–1.04)
P = 0.095Expressive communication
1.03(0.59–1.81)
P = 0.904Fine motor
0.75(0.38–1.50)
P = 0.417Gross motor
0.89(0.57–1.38)
P = 0.594Further findings
- Duration of labour epidural analgesia not associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes
Original publication
Association of labour epidural analgesia exposure with infant neurodevelopment: secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study. Br J Anaesth. Published 10 September 2025. doi:10.
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