(197) Maternal Antibiotics Use in Pregnancy and The Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sunday, August 28, 2022

8:00 AM – 1:45 PM CEST

Location: Hall C

Publication Number: 1242

Presenting Author(s)

Kenneth Man, PhD
– Lecturer in Pharmacoepidemiology and Medication Safety, University of Hong Kong, London, United Kingdom

Co-Author(s)

Le GAO
– University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hira Pirzada
– UCL School of Pharmacy, United Kingdom
Ian Wong
– Professor, Centre for Safe Medication Practice and Research, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China, Hong Kong

Background: Research shows that the gut microbiome plays a role in contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal antibiotics may cause a disturbance in the gut microbiome of a neonate, leading to negative effects on brain development and the immune system.

Objectives: Using systematic review and meta-analysis to explore if there is a relationship between antibiotic use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders including ADHD and ASD in the offspring.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search through the databases Embase/Ovid, MEDLINE/Ovid, and Web of Science, up until November 2021, to identify the association between maternal antibiotics use and ADHD or ASD in the offspring from observational studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies.

Results: 2,268 records were identified in the literature search with five studies finally included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Two studies evaluated the outcome of ADHD, and the pooled hazard ratio in children exposed to mothers with antibiotics use during pregnancy was 1.22 (95% CI, 1.18-1.26; I2=0%). For ASD, the pooled hazard ratio of the two cohort studies was 1.08 (95% CI, 0.86, 1.37; I2=78%). Another cohort study found a slightly higher risk of ASD in mothers exposed to antibiotics prenatally and during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. One case-control study did not find any significant results

Conclusions: A definitive conclusion cannot be made from the scientific literature and data that is currently available from observational studies. This study however allowed for the identification that a trend may exist between the use of antibiotics during pregnancy and the risk of ADHD and ASD. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of taking antibiotics in pregnancy and of the nature of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.