The association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes—an evaluation of a population database

Abstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the more common neuropsychiatric disorders in women of reproductive age. Our objective was to compare perinatal outcomes between women with an ADHD diagnosis and those without. Methods A retrospective population-based cohort study utilizing the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) United States database. The study included all women who either delivered or experienced maternal death from 2004 to 2014. Perinatal outcomes were compared between women with an ICD-9 diagnosis of ADHD and those without. Results Overall, 9,096,788 women met the inclusion criteria. Amongst them, 10,031 women had a diagnosis of ADHD. Women with ADHD, compared to those without, were more likely to be younger than 25 years of age; white; to smoke tobacco during pregnancy; to use illicit drugs; and to suffer from chronic hypertension, thyroid disorders, and obesity ( p < 0.001 for all). Women in the ADHD group, compared to those without, had a higher rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.28–1.45, p < 0.001), cesarean delivery (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13–1.25, p < 0.001), chorioamnionitis (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17–1.52, p < 0.001), and maternal infection (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.19–1.5, p < 0.001). Regarding neonatal outcomes, patients with ADHD, compared to those without, had a higher rate of small-for-gestational-age neonate (SGA) (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.17–1.43, p < 0.001), and congenital anomalies (aOR 2.77, 95% CI 2.36–3.26, p < 0.001). Conclusion Women with a diagnosis of ADHD had a higher incidence of a myriad of maternal and neonatal complications, including cesarean delivery, HDP, and SGA neonates.