Parental education and the risk of cerebral palsy for children: an evaluation of causality

• DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14552
• Publication Date: 2020-04-27T19:15:25Z
• Authors: Ingeborg Forthun; Rolv Terje Lie; Katrine Strandber...; Magne Haugland So...; Dag Moster; Allen J Wilcox; Laust Hvas Mortensen; Mette C Tollånes
• Keywords: Odds; Causality; Norwegian

Aim To explore whether increasing parental education has a causal effect on risk of cerebral palsy (CP) in the child, or unobserved confounding is more likely explanation. Method We used data from Norwegian registries approximately 1.5 million children born between 1967 and 2011. compared results traditional cohort design with family‐based matched case–control design, which CP were to their first cousins without CP. In addition, we performed simulation study assess role confounding. Results odds reduced mothers fathers higher (adjusted ratio [OR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60–0.75 for maternal education, adjusted OR 0.75, CI 0.67–0.85 paternal education). only an association remained 0.80, 0.64–0.99). suggested that this could be explained by Interpretation A obtaining child unlikely. stress importance continued research genetic environmental factors vary parents’ educational level. What paper adds Children higher‐educated parents had significantly lower (CP). There was no evidence difference within whose different levels. Association did not reflect effect.