Maternal Prenatal Factors in Indian Children With Adhd: a School-based Cross-sectional Study
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Prenatal and environmental factors may contribute to heterogeneity in ADHD clinical presentation, but India-specific data remain scarce.Objective: To determine the prevalence of maternal prenatal factors and their association with DSM-5 ADHD clinical presentations among school-aged children in Delhi, India.Methods: We used purposive sampling to recruit 312 children aged 6-12 years with clinically diagnosed ADHD and their biological mothers from schools in Delhi, India, between January 2024 and March 2025. Maternal prenatal exposures and health history were obtained via structured interview. ADHD subtype was confirmed using DSM-5 criteria and the Vanderbilt Parent Rating Scale by a qualified psychiatrist.Results: Multinomial logistic regression showed that maternal age at pregnancy, family history of ADHD, total prenatal complications, prenatal supplement use, consanguineous marriage, and maternal mental health history significantly predicted ADHD subtype, χ²(15) = 292.32, p < .001, Nagelkerke R² = .61. Child gender was also significantly associated with subtype, χ²(2) = 7.69, p = .021, with girls showing a higher proportion of Combined Presentation.Conclusion: Specific maternal prenatal and demographic factors were associated with ADHD clinical presentation in Indian children. Findings support integrating prenatal risk screening into maternal and child health programs. Prospective studies are needed to establish causality.Keywords: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, prenatal factors, ADHD subtypes, Maternal health, consanguinity, India
Authors: Kadim Lovakumari, Tosendra Dwivedi
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7211962256