Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41198838›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

Association between prenatal exposure to antihypertensive medication and neurodevelopmental and educational outcomes in children.

Shrifah Alkhalaf, Sarjit Singh, Jill P Pell, Scott M Nelson, Daniel F Mackay, Michael Fleming

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In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Shrifah AlkhalafSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. s.alkhalaf.1@research.gla.ac.uk.
Sarjit SinghSchool of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Jill P PellSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Scott M NelsonSchool of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Daniel F MackaySchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Michael FlemingSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Funding

Health Data Research UK MR/S003800/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) require medication but neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal exposure to antihypertensive medication are unclear. We linked five national health and education databases to conduct a cohort study of 179,024 children born in Wales between 2009 and 2016 and investigated associations between maternal HDP and antihypertensive medication and educational and neurodevelopmental outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic, maternal, and pregnancy confounders. Among, 3,440 (1.9%) mothers who had HDP or who received antihypertensive medication during pregnancy; 629 (0.3%) had treated HDP, 950 (0.5%) untreated HDP, and 1861 (1.0%) received antihypertensive medication without documented HDP. Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) was associated with prenatal exposure to antihypertensive medication (adjusted OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.26–2.21, p < 0.001); specifically, beta-blockers (adjusted OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.39–2.78). Untreated maternal HDP was not associated with ASD. Learning and communication difficulties were associated with beta-blockers and methyldopa, as well as untreated HDP, suggesting confounding by indication. Neither HDP nor anti-hypertensive medication were associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this large, unselected cohort, prenatal beta-blocker exposure was associated with ASD independent of maternal hypertension. Further research should be undertaken regarding the biological mechanisms and choice of antihypertensive therapy in pregnancy should be carefully selected to balance maternal benefits and potential neurodevelopmental risks in offspring.

Indexed as

Antihypertensive AgentsHypertension, Pregnancy-InducedNeurodevelopmental DisordersPrenatal Exposure Delayed EffectsAdrenergic beta-AntagonistsAdultAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityAutism Spectrum DisorderChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansNeurodevelopmentPregnancyAdrenergic beta-AntagonistsAntihypertensive AgentsAntihypertensive agentsChild developmentEducationHypertension disorders.Pregnancy

Identifiers

PMID41198838
PMCPMC12592423

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.