What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a 25-year prospective single-center cohort study in France comparing the long-term health outcomes of children whose mothers received hyperbaric oxygen therapy for carbon monoxide poisoning during pregnancy with a matched control group.
What They Found
The study included 406 women and monitored the psychomotor development of 412 children. Researchers found no significant differences in psychomotor or height/weight criteria (p > 0.05 for both) between children exposed to carbon monoxide in utero and treated with HBO, and the unexposed control group. Additionally, no malformations were reported in the exposed children.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy for pregnant Canadian patients exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning may help prevent long-term psychomotor and growth issues in their children. It provides reassurance regarding the safety and efficacy of this treatment for expectant mothers and their babies.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in France and has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its single-center design and that some children had not yet reached the age of 6 years at the time of assessment.