The long-term consequence of maternal and neonatal morbidity – Team Neda Razaz

We specialize in linking and analyzing large datasets in Sweden and Canada to understand the role of maternal and paternal chronic illness during pregnancy, and medication use for mothers and babies, during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and beyond throughout the mother and child's life course. Furthermore, we examine neonatal and treatment factors that influences the risk of neurodevelopmental and somatic outcomes in childhood and early adulthood.

The long-term consequence of maternal and neonatal morbidity

Our research interests in perinatal/reproductive epidemiology aims to improve our understanding of early life risk factors and the chain of events leading to neurodevelopmental and somatic disorders, often life-long disorders. Such knowledge is a prerequisite for primary prevention.

Our current research focus on three areas: (i) understanding the role of maternal and paternal chronic illness during pregnancy, and medication use on neurodevelopmental and somatic outcomes in offspring; (ii) investigating neonatal and factors and interventions that influences the risk of neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular outcomes in childhood and early adulthood; and (iii) examine the impact of severe maternal and neonatal morbidity on long term health outcomes in women and their offspring.

Our research interests in perinatal/reproductive epidemiology aims to improve our understanding of early life risk factors and the chain of events leading to neurodevelopmental and somatic disorders, often life-long disorders. Such knowledge is a prerequisite for primary prevention. Our current research focus on three areas: (i) understanding the role of maternal and paternal chronic illness during pregnancy, and medication use on neurodevelopmental and somatic outcomes in offspring; (ii) investigating neonatal and factors and interventions that influences the risk of neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular outcomes in childhood and early adulthood; and (iii) examine the impact of severe maternal and neonatal morbidity on long term health outcomes in women and their offspring.

Ongoing projects

  • Chronic diseases in mothers and risks of neuro-developmental disorders in offspring.
  • Prevalence of chronic illness during pregnancy in Sweden and Canada, 1999-2019.
  • The impact of obstetrics and neonatal interventions on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric outcomes in preterm infants.
  • Neonatal morbidity and treatments and subsequent risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in childhood and early adulthood.
  • Long-term consequences of severe maternal morbidity during pregnancy.

Publications

Selected publications

Funding

  • The Swedish Research Council
  • The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE)
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • Region Stockholm (ALF)
  • the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation
  • Åke Wibergs stiftelse

Members and contact

Group leader

All members of the group

Cooperation

  • University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 
    In collaborating with a team of scientist from the University of British Columbia, I am carrying out my funded research program, investigating the role of maternal chronic illness and medication use during pregnancy and risk of neurodevelopmental and somatic outcomes in offspring.
  • The Vulnerable Newborn Measurement collaboration. 
    The Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Collaboration is an international collaboration initiated by John Hopkins University (JHU) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) with the aim to undertake individually linked analyses of national data systems in order to describe the prevalence and mortality for various vulnerable newborn phenotypes based on birthweight, gestational age and small for gestational age.
  • SCAN-AED: Nordic register-based study of antiepileptic drugs in pregnancy.
    I am part of an international collaboration aiming to investigate the association between in utero exposure to antiepileptic drugs and maternal mortality and sever maternal morbidity.
  • University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
    In collaboration with Dr.Ruth Ann Marrie from the University of Manitoba, Canada we are working on an international project evaluating the risk of peripartum mental illness in women and men with multiple Sclerosis.