Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the Offspring of Young Female Cancer Survivors.
Kids born to young moms who had cancer—especially cancer found during pregnancy—carry a slightly higher chance of developmental disorders, so mark them for early screening.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kyujin et al. (2025) tracked kids born to young moms who had cancer.
They used Korean hospital records to see who later got a neurodevelopmental diagnosis.
Cancer during pregnancy was counted as a special high-stress window.
What they found
Children of these survivors had a small but real jump in developmental disorder risk.
The increase was strongest when mom’s cancer was found while she was still pregnant.
The extra risk stayed tiny; most kids still developed typically.
How this fits with other research
Amaral et al. (2019) seemed to say the opposite. They saw moms of kids with delays already had poorer health before birth.
The two papers don’t clash. G et al. looked backward: child problems first, then mom’s health. Kyujin looked forward: mom’s cancer first, then child outcome.
Lyall et al. (2012) and Zhao et al. (2024) also link tough pregnancy events—diabetes, skipped folic acid, now cancer—to later autism or delay. The story is growing: what happens in the womb can shape the brain.
Why it matters
Add recent cancer during pregnancy to your red-flag list. Tell the pediatrician and start developmental checks a little earlier. One extra screening visit can catch delays sooner and open the door to early intervention.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study aimed to examine the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in cJihye Heohildren born to female cancer survivors under 40 years old. Using nationwide retrospective data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2019, we included 19,474 children born to female cancer survivors under 40 years old. Propensity-score matching (1:3) with 58,422 controls born to women without cancer was conducted. NDDs were identified using ICD-10 codes. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess the relative risk. Children born to cancer survivors had a higher overall risk of NDDs (HR = 1.10; 95% CI 1.05-1.15), with specific elevated risks for cerebral palsy (HR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.05-1.81), developmental delay (HR = 1.16; 95% CI 1.06-1.26), and epileptic and febrile seizures (HR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.12). The risk was particularly elevated in children whose mothers were diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy (HR = 1.26; 95% CI 1.08-1.47). However, for births occurring more than 5 years after the cancer diagnosis, the difference in NDDs risk was not statistically significant (HR = 1.07; 95% CI 0.98-1.16). The offspring of young female cancer survivors had an increased risk of NDDs compared with the control group. When young female cancer survivors desire pregnancy, healthcare providers should offer appropriate counseling and surveillance for potential adverse NDDs in their offspring.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.1136/bmjonc-2023-000049