The impact of neuraxial labour analgesia on neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Pooled result · ASD, sibling-matched cohortsResult — go to the resultAdjusted hazard ratio 1.06 95% CI 0.98–1.14Authors' conclusion
Across population-based and family-based observational evidence, this updated systematic review and meta-analysis showed that there is no convincing evidence that neuraxial labour analgesia is associated with an increased risk of ASD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or other neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.
Study context
- Population
- Offspring of women in labour; clinically defined neurodevelopmental outcomes19 studies
- Comparison
- Neuraxial labour analgesia vs no neuraxial labour analgesia
- Outcome
- ASD (sibling-matched cohorts)
Methodological detailsrandom-effects, restricted maximum likelihood estimation, prespecified sibling-matched analyses, Databases searched to September 16, 2025
- Random-effects
- Restricted maximum likelihood estimation
- Prespecified sibling-matched analyses
- Databases searched to September 16, 2025
Pooled result
ASD, sibling-matched cohorts
Adjusted hazard ratio
1.06
95% CI 0.98–1.14
As reported in the abstract
Further pooled results
ASD, population-based analyses
- Effect estimates attenuated with increasing control for familial confounding
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sibling-matched cohorts
- Neuraxial labour analgesia not associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Other neurodevelopmental outcomes
- No clinically meaningful associations
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
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