Maternal hypothyroxinemia is a risk factor for cognitive delay in early childhood.

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The study suggests that, starting in mid-pregnancy, fetal growth can be affected by different aspects of maternal distress. In particular, children of prenatally anxious mothers seem to display impaired fetal growth patterns during pregnancy. Future work should address the biological mechanisms underlying the association of maternal distress with fetal development and focus on the effects of reducing psychological distress in pregnancy.

Post-term birth was associated with more behavioural and emotional problems in early childhood, especially attention deficit / hyperactivity problem behaviour. When considering expectant management, this aspect of post-term pregnancy should be taken into account.