Drexel University Researcher Focuses on Developmental Disabilities (Perinatal and Postpartum Health Among People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities): Developmental Diseases and Conditions – Developmental Disabilities

2024 SEP 02 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Data detailed on developmental disabilities have been presented. According to news reporting from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Importance: Small, geographically limited studies report that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have increased risk for serious pregnancy-related and birth-related challenges, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and increased anxiety and depression, than their peers. United States-based population-level data among people with IDD are lacking.”

The news editors obtained a quote from the research from Drexel University: “To identify perinatal and postpartum outcomes among a national, longitudinal sample of people with IDD enrolled in public health insurance, compare subgroups of people with IDD, and compare outcomes among people with IDD with those of peers without IDD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used national Medicaid claims from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2019, for 55 440 birthing people with IDD and a random sample of 438 557 birthing people without IDD. Medicaid funds almost half of all births and is the largest behavioral health insurer in the US, covering a robust array of services for people with IDD. Statistical analysis was performed from July 2023 to June 2024. Exposure: People who had a documented birth in Medicaid during the study years. Main Outcome and Measures: Perinatal outcomes were compared across groups using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The probability of postpartum anxiety and depression was estimated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression. The study sample included 55 440 birthing people with IDD (including 41 854 with intellectual disabilities [ID] and 13 586 with autism; mean [SD] age at first delivery, 24.9 [6.7] years) and a random sample of 438 557 birthing people without IDD (mean [SD] age at first delivery, 26.4 [6.3] years). People with IDD were younger at first observed delivery, had a lower prevalence of live births (66.6% vs 76.7%), and higher rates of obstetric conditions (gestational diabetes, 10.3% vs 9.9%; gestational hypertension, 8.7% vs 6.1%; preeclampsia, 6.1% vs 4.4%) and co-occurring physical conditions (heart failure, 1.4% vs 0.4%; hyperlipidemia, 5.3% vs 1.7%; ischemic heart disease, 1.5% vs 0.4%; obesity, 16.3% vs 7.4%) and mental health conditions (anxiety disorders, 27.9% vs 6.5%; depressive disorders, 32.1% vs 7.5%; posttraumatic stress disorder, 9.5% vs 1.2%) than people without IDD.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The probability of postpartum anxiety (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 3.2 [95% CI, 2.9-3.4]) and postpartum depression (AHR, 2.4 [95% CI, 2.3-2.6]) was significantly higher among autistic people compared with people with ID only and people without IDD. Conclusions and Relevance: In this retrospective cohort study, people with IDD had a younger mean age at first delivery, had lower prevalence of live births, and had poor obstetric, mental health, and medical outcomes compared with people without IDD, pointing toward a need for clinician training and timely delivery of maternal health care. Results highlight needed reproductive health education, increasing clinician knowledge, and expanding Medicaid to ensure access to care for people with IDD.”

For more information on this research see: Perinatal and Postpartum Health Among People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. JAMA Network Open, 2024,7(8). (JAMA Network Open - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen). The publisher for JAMA Network Open is American Medical Association (AMA).

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.28067.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Lindsay Shea, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Additional authors for this research include Molly Sadowsky, Sha Tao, Jessica Rast, Diana Schendel, Arina Chesnokova, Irene Headen.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)