Cesarean and assisted vaginal births show similar long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes

 ADHD in the News 2026-02-05


A new population-based cohort study of more than 500,000 births in British Columbia offers reassuring evidence about the long-term safety of cesarean delivery and assisted vaginal delivery (with forceps or vacuum) when it comes to children's neurodevelopment. Published on Jan. 30, 2026, in JAMA Network Open, the study examined rates of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID) up to age 22, comparing outcomes among children whose births required medical intervention late in labor.