SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology
Mapping Evidence on Maternal Metabolic Conditions and Child Neurodevelopment in the Caribbean: A Scoping Review
April Mabie 1
Alexandra Van Cleave 1
Olivia Anne Foley 1
Caron Gray 2
Abubakar Tauseef 3
Jason Beste 4
Michelle Jiménez De Tavárez 5
1. Arrupe Global Scholars & Partnerships Program at the Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, United States
2. Creighton University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Omaha, United States
3. Creighton University Department of Internal Medicine, Omaha, United States
4. Arrupe Global Scholars & Partnerships Program at the Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix, United States
5. Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
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Abstract
Background: Maternal metabolism and nutrition play a critical role in the healthy neurodevelopment of offspring during pregnancy. While numerous studies have established associations between maternal metabolic conditions (MMCs) and child neurodevelopment, the majority of this research has been conducted in high-income countries, particularly in the Global North. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize existing research on the relationship between MMCs and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children within the Caribbean region. Methods: This review was conducted following the methodological framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley. A comprehensive search strategy was employed using MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases. In addition, grey literature was sourced through Google Scholar, hand-searching, and citation tracking. Results: A total of 970 articles were retrieved from the database searches, with an additional 34 identified as potential sources of grey literature and all 1,004 were screened. Following screening and eligibility assessment, 14 studies were included; 64.3% address maternal exposure to environmental chemicals, 50.0% describe the use of standardized cognitive assessments, and 21.4% of articles discuss the incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in offspring. Conclusion: There is a notable scarcity of research examining MMCs and child neurodevelopment within the Caribbean context. This gap necesitates the need for regional data generation and policy-informed research to better understand and address the unique maternal and child health challenges in the region.
Summary
Keywords
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Caribbean Region, child neurodevelopment, Maternal Chemical Exposure, Maternal Metabolic Conditions (MMCs), Maternal metabolism
Received
18 August 2025
Accepted
18 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Mabie, Van Cleave, Foley, Gray, Tauseef, Beste and Jiménez De Tavárez. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: April Mabie; Alexandra Van Cleave; Olivia Anne Foley
Disclaimer
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