In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study
BackgroundNeurodevelopmental disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents; however, preventing their onset and progression remains challenging. Due to ethical constraints, population-based studies investigating neonatal maternal separation (NMS) as an early-life st...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1572600/full |
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| author | Quan Zhou Quan Zhou Senrui Liang Yanyan Sun Jun Fan Zaisheng Qin |
| author_facet | Quan Zhou Quan Zhou Senrui Liang Yanyan Sun Jun Fan Zaisheng Qin |
| author_sort | Quan Zhou |
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| description | BackgroundNeurodevelopmental disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents; however, preventing their onset and progression remains challenging. Due to ethical constraints, population-based studies investigating neonatal maternal separation (NMS) as an early-life stress in children and adolescents are scarce.MethodsWe analyzed data from five cycles (1999–2000 to 2007–2008) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on participants aged 1–15 years. The participants were identified using their replies to survey interview questions. The exposure of interest was in-hospital NMS, while the primary outcome was neurodevelopmental disorders, which include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, and special education or early intervention services. Multifactorial weighted logistic regressions with confounder adjustment were performed for participants with available data on the exposures, confounders, and outcome.ResultsOverall, data from 15502 participants (mean age, 8.05 years [SE 0.06]; 7759 males [weighted, 50.99%]) were analyzed. Neurodevelopmental disorders were more common in participants with prior experience of in-hospital NMS. Multifactorial weighted logistic regression model analyses revealed a significant positive association between in-hospital NMS and the occurrence risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (adjusted OR 1.82 [95% CI 1.40–2.37], P < 0.001). The pattern of association was largely consistent across the subgroups.ConclusionsIn-hospital NMS as an early-life stress is associated with an increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. This may be a targetable risk factor for future trials to examine the long-term outcomes of newborn-mother connection interventions and to tailor preventative and treatment interventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8132cb4967ac4ee9ae14c60e9bc2c06f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-8132cb4967ac4ee9ae14c60e9bc2c06f2025-08-20T03:30:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-06-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.15726001572600In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based studyQuan Zhou0Quan Zhou1Senrui Liang2Yanyan Sun3Jun Fan4Zaisheng Qin5Department of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaGuangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaBackgroundNeurodevelopmental disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents; however, preventing their onset and progression remains challenging. Due to ethical constraints, population-based studies investigating neonatal maternal separation (NMS) as an early-life stress in children and adolescents are scarce.MethodsWe analyzed data from five cycles (1999–2000 to 2007–2008) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on participants aged 1–15 years. The participants were identified using their replies to survey interview questions. The exposure of interest was in-hospital NMS, while the primary outcome was neurodevelopmental disorders, which include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, and special education or early intervention services. Multifactorial weighted logistic regressions with confounder adjustment were performed for participants with available data on the exposures, confounders, and outcome.ResultsOverall, data from 15502 participants (mean age, 8.05 years [SE 0.06]; 7759 males [weighted, 50.99%]) were analyzed. Neurodevelopmental disorders were more common in participants with prior experience of in-hospital NMS. Multifactorial weighted logistic regression model analyses revealed a significant positive association between in-hospital NMS and the occurrence risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (adjusted OR 1.82 [95% CI 1.40–2.37], P < 0.001). The pattern of association was largely consistent across the subgroups.ConclusionsIn-hospital NMS as an early-life stress is associated with an increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. This may be a targetable risk factor for future trials to examine the long-term outcomes of newborn-mother connection interventions and to tailor preventative and treatment interventions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1572600/fullneonatal maternal separationneurodevelopment disordersin-hospitalearly-life stresschildren and adolescents |
| spellingShingle | Quan Zhou Quan Zhou Senrui Liang Yanyan Sun Jun Fan Zaisheng Qin In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study Frontiers in Psychiatry neonatal maternal separation neurodevelopment disorders in-hospital early-life stress children and adolescents |
| title | In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study |
| title_full | In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study |
| title_fullStr | In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study |
| title_full_unstemmed | In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study |
| title_short | In-hospital neonatal maternal separation as early-life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional and population-based study |
| title_sort | in hospital neonatal maternal separation as early life stress and neurodevelopmental disorders a cross sectional and population based study |
| topic | neonatal maternal separation neurodevelopment disorders in-hospital early-life stress children and adolescents |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1572600/full |
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