Maureen S. Durkin|Naila Khan|Leslie L. Davidson|Sharmin Huq|Shirin Z. Munir|Elmy Samsun Rasul|Sharmin Zaman
Prenatal and Postnatal Risk Factors for Mental Retardation among Children in Bangladesh
Columbia University
study evaluated contribution prenatal perinatal neonatal postnatal factors prevalence cognitive disabilities among children aged 29 years bangladesh twophase survey implemented 19871988 10299 children screened disability multivariate analyses significant independent predictors serious mental retardation rural urban areas included maternal goiter rural odds ratio 514 95 confidence interval ci 123 2157 urban 482 95 ci 273 850 postnatal brain infections rural 2924 95 ci 717 11918 urban 1365 95 ci 469 3976 rural areas consanguinity 1513 95 ci 308 7430 landless agriculture 602 95 ci 116 3119 also independently associated prevalence serious mental retardation rural urban areas independent risk factors mild cognitive disabilities included maternal illiteracy 248 95 ci 086 712 landlessness 427 95 ci 177 1029 maternal history pregnancy loss 261 95 ci 095 712 small gestational age birth 386 95 ci 156 955 interventions likely greatest impact preventing cognitive disabilities among children bangladesh include expansion existing iodine supplementation maternal literacy poverty alleviation programs well prevention intracranial infections consequences populationbased studies needed confirm understand association consanguinity serious cognitive disability