Are women using hormonal contraceptives the risk-takers?

Henning Tiemeier

doi:10.1007/s10654-020-00686-5

Abstract

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Highlights

The task Hemmingsen et al have taken on in the present study is much more challenging and is complicated by possible confounding by indication [1]
Mothers who recently used contraceptives before or around conception, are about 30% more likely to have a child that will develop ADHD. This pattern of higher offspring ADHD risk was consistently found for all forms of contraception, oral and non-oral, combined and non-combined hormonal contraceptives
The importance of the present paper is that it raises the possibility that hormonal contraceptive use of the mother might have unintended side effects on the development of the offspring, that is intergenerational effects

Summary

Introduction

The task Hemmingsen et al have taken on in the present study is much more challenging and is complicated by possible confounding by indication [1]. The authors try and conduct a valid study of the offspring neurodevelopmental consequences related to the use of hormonal contraception in the period prior to conception. This cohort is constructed using data from different registries such as the Danish National Prescription Registry to assess contraceptive use, the Danish Patient Register to establish incident ADHD in children, and the Danish National Birth and other registers to obtain demographic and important confounder information.

Results

Conclusion