Child development after maternal tocolysis with beta-sympathomimetic drugs.
The psycho-social development of both preterm and term children whose mothers reported tocolytic treatment was assessed at the ages of 2, 4.5, and 8 years. Term children exposed to tocolysis showed a higher rate of psychiatric disorders as well as poorer cognitive and motor performance than controls. In the preterm children no adverse impact of tocolysis could be found. The results are discussed concerning possible ways in which tocolytic treatment may influence child development. Restrictions because of the preliminary character of this study and the need of further prospective studies to clarify the developmental impact of tocolysis are also considered.
Pitzer
M
M
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, P.O. Box 122120, D-68072 Mannheim, Germany. pitzer@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Schmidt
M H
MH
Esser
G
G
Laucht
M
M
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D015149:Tocolytic Agents