Fig. 3.

Association of epidural analgesia with neurodevelopmental delay among children, by maternal age

Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for neurodevelopmental delay in each domain of the J-ASQ-3 among children born to mothers who received epidural analgesia during labor are shown from age 6 to 36 months, stratified by maternal age at delivery (<30 years/≥30 years).

Adjusted for parity, delivery mode, duration of labor, comorbidity (diabetes and hypertension), body mass index before pregnancy, occupation in the first trimester, smoking status, alcohol consumption, educational level, annual household income, marital status at 6 months after childbirth, child’s sex, birth weight, Apgar score at 5 min after birth, feeding methods in infancy, nursery attendance, screen time at 12 months old, siblings cohabiting with the child, and study area. A multiple imputation method was used to reduce potential selection bias from missing variables. For communication delay at 12 months in <30 years, adjusted odds ratio could not be calculated due to the small number of the subjects.

Abbreviations: J-ASQ-3, the Japanese translation of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition.