Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication use and
cardiometabolic conditions in pregnancy: A population-based cohort study
Abstract
Background Use of medications to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) is increasingly prevalent among women of reproductive
age, but little is understood about their potential cardiometabolic
effects in pregnancy. We aimed to examine associations between ADHD
medication use and cardiometabolic conditions during pregnancy
(gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes) and
the pharmacological treatment thereof. Methods Linking statewide
hospital and dispensing data, we conducted a population-based matched
cohort study of women who gave birth between January 2014 and June 2021
in New South Wales, Australia (n=312,697). We compared the incidence of
cardiometabolic conditions and cardiometabolic medication use during
pregnancy among women who used ADHD medications during pregnancy (n=336)
with a 1:10 matched cohort of unexposed women, and with women who used
ADHD medications in the 12 months before pregnancy (n=252). We used
Poisson regression models to calculate risk ratios (RR) and 95%
confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for sociodemographic and
pregnancy-related factors. Results Compared with unexposed women, women
who used ADHD medications during pregnancy had an increased risk of
gestational hypertension (adjusted RR:1.76, 95% CI:1.20-2.57) and
gestational diabetes (aRR:1.41, 95% CI:1.09-1.82), with slightly
elevated risk estimates for preeclampsia (aRR:1.30, 95% CI:0.82-2.05)
and cardiometabolic medication use (aRR:1.40, 95% CI:0.97-2.01).
Compared with women who used ADHD medications before pregnancy only,
risk estimates attenuated for all outcomes except gestational diabetes
(aRR:1.76, 95% CI:1.06-2.93). Conclusions Women using ADHD medications
had an elevated incidence of cardiometabolic conditions during
pregnancy, but it remains unclear to what extent this is attributable to
medications rather than the underlying ADHD.