Prenatal sleep health and risk of offspring ADHD symptomatology and associated phenotypes: a prospective analysis of timing and sex differences in the ECHO cohort.

Background

Sleep difficulties are common in pregnancy, yet poor prenatal sleep may be related to negative long-term outcomes for the offspring, including risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Existing studies are few and have not examined timing of exposure effects or offspring sex moderation. We thus aimed to test the hypotheses that poor sleep health in pregnancy is associated with increased risk for ADHD symptoms and offspring sleep problems at approximately 4 years of age.

Methods

Participants were 794 mother-child dyads enrolled in the NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Study (ECHO). Participants self-reported on sleep duration, quality, and disturbances during pregnancy and on children's ADHD symptoms and sleep problems on the Child Behaviour Checklist.

Findings

Pregnant participants were 32.30 ± 5.50 years and children were 46% female. 44 percent of pregnant participants identified as Hispanic or Latine; 49% identified as White. Second-trimester sleep duration was associated with offspring ADHD symptoms (

Interpretation

Poor prenatal sleep health, particularly quality and duration in the second trimester, may be associated with offspring risk of neurodevelopmental disorders and sleep problems in early childhood. Further research is needed to understand mechanisms, yet our study suggests that prenatal maternal sleep may be a modifiable target for interventions aimed at optimizing early neurodevelopment.

Funding

NIH grants U2COD023375, U24OD023382, U24OD023319, UH3OD023320, UH3OD023305, UH3OD023349, UH3OD023313, UH3OD023272, UH3OD023328, UH3OD023290, K08MH117452 and NARSAD Young Investigator Award 28545.

Informations de copyright

© 2023 The Author(s).

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

All authors declare no competing interests. CLC, CD, JA and AM all report funding from NIH. CD reports funding form Morgan Stanley, Saks Foundation, payments from WT Grant Foundation and UC Davies College of Biological Sciences and a leadership role in the American Psychopathological Association. JA reports honoraria from IPOKRaTES Neonatology Conference and holding a leadership position in National Board of Trustees: March of Dimes. SD reports payment or honoraria from Nestle Nutrition, Wyeth. Nutrition and Mead Johnson Nutrition.