title: Maternal Obesity: Risks for Developmental Delays in Early Childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the risk for neurodevelopmental delays for children of mothers who were obese (≥200 pounds) prior to pregnancy, and to characterize delays associated with maternal obesity among children referred to and found eligible to receive Early Intervention Program services.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective cohort study (N = 541,816) using a population-based New York City data warehouse with linked birth and Early Intervention data. Risks for children suspected of a delay and 'significantly delayed', with two moderate or one severe delay, were calculated. Among the group of children eligible by delay for Early Intervention, analyses assessed risk for being identified with a moderate-to-severe delay across each of five functional domains as well as risks for multiple delays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children of mothers who were obese were more likely to be suspected of a delay (adjusted RR 1.19 [CI 1.15-1.22]) and borderline association for 'significantly delayed' (adjusted RR 1.01 [CI 1.00-1.02). Among children eligible by delay, children of mothers who were obese evidenced an increased risk for moderate-to-severe cognitive (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.02-1.07]) and physical (adjusted RR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.08]) delays and for global developmental delay (adjusted RR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.08]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of developmental delay in offspring. Among children with moderate or severe delays, maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of cognitive and physical delays as well as with increased risk for global developmental delay. While causation remains uncertain, this adds to the growing body of research reporting an association between maternal obesity and neurodevelopmental delays in offspring.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Public Health, 40 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8063, USA. kathleen.oconnorduffany@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen O'Connor
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Duffany
authors.affiliation: Division of Family and Child Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Katharine H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: McVeigh
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Public Health, 40 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8063, USA.
authors.forename: Trace S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Heather S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lipkind
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Public Health, 40 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8063, USA.
authors.forename: Jeannette R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ickovics
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009519:New York City; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Cognitive delay; Developmental delay; Obesity; Pregnancy