Pregnancy course, infant outcomes, rehospitalization, and mortality among women with intellectual disability.

The intellectual disability group was small, with 103 women analysed. Intellectual disability was identified only from ICD-9 codes on the delivery hospital record, so severity and range of disability were not measured. Some women with intellectual disability may have been included in the comparison group, and some coded cases may not have had intellectual disability; the authors say this would bias results toward no difference. The study period spanned 1987 through 2012, and some variables were available only in later years. Only women 18 years or older were included, so results do not apply to younger pregnant women. Follow-up for rehospitalization and death was only 2 years after delivery. Rehospitalization outside Washington State may have been missed. The study did not measure pregnancy intention or other social circumstances that may affect outcomes.

The paper is supported by NIH extramural research. No author conflicts are stated in the supplied text.

Do not read these associations as evidence that intellectual disability itself caused the outcomes or that any specific support would prevent them. The study compared birth and hospital records, identified disability from ICD-9 codes, did not measure disability severity, and did not test a treatment.