title: Increased time to pregnancy is associated with suboptimal neurological condition of 2-year-olds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether time to pregnancy (TTP) is associated with neurological condition of 2-year-old children born to subfertile parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data collected in a prospective, assessor-blinded follow-up study were used for cross-sectional analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were the singletons of the Groningen assisted reproductive technique cohort study: all children were born to subfertile couples (n=209). The active waiting TTP of the couples obtained from fertility charts was recorded in years and months, and was converted to decimal years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presence of minor neurological dysfunction (MND), assessed with the Hempel examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MND was present in 16 (7.7%) children. TTP of children with MND (median 4.1, range 1.6-13.2) was significantly longer than that of children without MND (median 2.8, range 0.1-13.3; Mann-Whitney U test p=0.014). Logistic regression analysis on the contribution of TTP to MND resulted in a crude OR of 1.27 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.54). After correction for gestational age, parental age and parental level of education, the association remained statistically significant: OR=1.30 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased TTP was associated with suboptimal neurological development in 2-year-old children. This suggests that subfertility and its determinants are involved in the genesis of neurodevelopmental problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Developmental Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jorien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seggers
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schendelaar
authors.forename: Arend F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Maas Jan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.forename: Karin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Middelburg
authors.forename: Maaike L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Haadsma
authors.forename: Mijna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadders-Algra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D061685:Time-to-Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Minor Neurological Dysfunction; Neurological Development; Subfertility; Time To Pregnancy