Study Links Prenatal Antipsychotic Exposure to Developmental Delays and ADHD

A comprehensive review indicates that children exposed to antipsychotics in the womb face an increased risk of ADHD and developmental delays.

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A new meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Caring Sciences finds a link between in-utero exposure to antipsychotics and increased risk for developmental delays and ADHD diagnosis.

Additionally, one study examined in the current research, headed by Evagelia Andrianopoulou of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, found that children exposed to atypical antipsychotics during the third trimester of pregnancy were much more likely to be diagnosed with autism.

The authors note that in many cases, the developmental delays linked to in-utero antipsychotic exposure were short-lived and disappeared after the exposed child was 6-12 months old. The authors write:

“Our meta-analysis showed a significant association between prenatal exposure to antipsychotics and an increased risk of adverse outcomes in the child related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social-emotional-mental development, and motor delay. Although we believe that the current data are insufficient to conclude that antipsychotics in the perinatal period cause increased morbidity, these results highlight that women receiving antipsychotic drugs in the perinatal period represent a population at higher risk for adverse outcomes for their children.”

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Richard Sears
Richard Sears teaches psychology at West Georgia Technical College and works as a counseling psychologist in private practice, specializing in person-centered therapy. Earlier in his career, Richard worked in a psychiatric crisis stabilization unit, an experience that exposed him to the harsh realities of a broken mental healthcare system. This fueled his commitment to providing compassionate, person-centered care and advocating for meaningful change in how mental health services are delivered.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Autism and ADHD are neurodivergent differences, not “problems”, “disorders”, “harms”, or “risks”. I agree that chemicals can attribute to these conditions. I was exposed to diazanon insecticide in utero, and am the most obviously autistic member of my immediate family. I was also exposed to whooping cough from my mom and was born premature. But genetics play the biggest role. If a mom is on a medication for voice hearing, visions, and paranoia, it is because she herself is neurodivergent. (She would be considered a shaman and spiritually gifted in many cultures). So the baby (whose mitochondrial DNA is identical to Mom’s), will have Neurodivergent or shamanic genes.

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