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Child Development After Maternal Tocolysis with Beta-Sympathomimetic Drugs

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Abstract

The psycho-social development of both preterm and term children whose mothers reported tocolytic treatment was assessed at the ages of 2, 4.5, and 8 years. Term children exposed to tocolysis showed a higher rate of psychiatric disorders as well as poorer cognitive and motor perfomance than controls. In the preterm children no adverse impact of tocolysis could be found. The results are discussed concerning possible ways in which tocolytic treatment may influence child development. Restrictions because of the preliminary character of this study and the need of further prospective studies to clarify the developmental impact of tocolysis are also considered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, P.O. Box 122120, D-68072, Mannheim, Germany

    Martina Pitzer

  2. Central Institute of Mental Health, Germany

    Martin H. Schmidt & Manfred Laucht

  3. University of Potsdam, Germany

    Günter Esser

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  1. Martina Pitzer
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  2. Martin H. Schmidt
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  3. Günter Esser
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  4. Manfred Laucht
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Pitzer, M., Schmidt, M.H., Esser, G. et al. Child Development After Maternal Tocolysis with Beta-Sympathomimetic Drugs. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 31, 165–182 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026419720410

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