Relative risk of perinatal complications in common childhood disorders.

Perinatal complications have been associated with a myriad of later-developing behavioral, neurological, and psychological disorders. These have included school-related disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, mood and anxiety disorders, and learning disabilities. This article reviews the research that considers the relative risk relationship between prepregnancy, pregnancy, neonatal complications, and later childhood disorders. Specifically, research with the Maternal Perinatal Scale (MPS), which highlights the relative risk ratios of perinatal complications, and later childhood disorders will be reviewed. The MPS is a self-report measure that uses a standardized, structured format to identify perinatal complications. Research using the MPS has revealed that a combination of perinatal complications can increase the relative risk of educational difficulty by up to 6.35 times. Implications for psychological services in the school are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)