Maternal Factors during Pregnancy Affecting Offspring Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: A Narrative Review

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review

Author
Mehran Karimi
Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Comprehensive Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
10.18502/jimpc.v9i1.22981
Abstract
The gestational period represents a critical window of vulnerability during which maternal biological, psychological, and environmental factors influence fetal neurodevelopment and subsequent offspring developmental trajectories. This structured narrative review synthesizes evidence examining maternal factors during pregnancy that are associated with adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, including developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and related conditions. Key thematic domains include maternal metabolic conditions, maternal mental health, maternal immune activation and infections, nutritional factors, environmental toxicant exposures, medication and substance use, and socioeconomic determinants. The review highlights the complex interplay between these factors, epigenetic and genetic moderation, and the importance of the prenatal component of the first 1000 days of life. Most evidence is observational; associations should not be interpreted as causal. Emerging evidence underscores the need for integrated, multi-domain intervention approaches targeting modifiable maternal risk factors during preconception and prenatal periods to optimize offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Keywords
Maternal Exposure
Pregnancy
Neurodevelopment
Developmental Disabilities
Journal of Integrated Maternal and Pediatric Care

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 08 November 2026