Some infections (eg, Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, and cytomegalovirus) during pregnancy are human teratogens that can target the fetal brain causing malformations leading to behavioural, sensory, and cognitive deficits.
Following an outbreak of rubella in the United States in the mid-1960s, several epidemiologists reported an increased rate of autism among children whose mothers contracted the virus during pregnancy. Since then, numerous epidemiological studies have tied autism to maternal infection with influenza and other pathogens.
Premature puzzle: Autism rates are elevated among children born well before their due date. High blood pressure or abnormal bleeding during pregnancy, as well as complications such as cesarean delivery or preterm birth, may all increase the risk of autism, two new studies suggest1,2.
Chorioamnionitis increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly cerebral palsy, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and intellectual disability. These associations were mainly mediated through preterm birth; however, increased risk was also observed among term infants.
Noting that the family is very important in attachment, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that attachment problems are most common in broken families. Highlighting the importance of the mother's trust in her child in attachment, Tarhan warned that if the maternal deprivation syndrome lasts for a long time, it turns into autism.
There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
High levels of stress during pregnancy may also be connected to autism in children. This connection appears to have the most impact when the parent experiences stress between weeks 25 and 28 of pregnancy.
Dyslexia and dyspraxia
Some autistic people have: problems with reading, writing and spelling (dyslexia) clumsy movements and problems with organisation and following instructions (developmental co-ordination disorder, or dyspraxia)
Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in American children, but it's not the only form of birth injury. A study performed by Kaiser Permanente examined the records from nearly 600,000 births and found complications during childbirth could increase the risk of developing ASD by 10%.
Penicillin was the most prescribed antibiotic class (17.9% of mothers, 38.2% of children). Maternal antibiotic use was associated with an increased risk of autism [odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.23] and ADHD (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.21–1.36) in childhood.
Does The Father Or Mother Carry The Autism Gene? Autism was always thought to have a maternal inheritance component, however, research suggests that the rarer variants associated with the disorder are usually inherited from the father.
While autism is typically not diagnosed before the age of 2 (and often much later), it can sometimes be detected earlier. A 2022 study found that a routine second-trimester ultrasound could detect early signs of autism during pregnancy,19 including anomalies in the heart, head, and kidneys.
They also noted that autism was most associated with anomalies in the urinary system, heart, head, and brain. They further found that those with autism tended to have a narrower head and a relatively wider ocular distance compared to typically developing fetuses.
A routine prenatal ultrasound can identify early signs of autism, study finds. Summary: A routine prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester can identify early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a new study has found.
In the United States, prenatal genetic testing (PGT) for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is currently available via clinical genetic services. Such testing may inform parents about their unborn child's risk for ASD, prepare parents for the birth of an affected infant, and allow them to arrange for early interventions.
Previous studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding is associated with lower odds of having autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children, but data are lacking in Asian countries, especially China.
Across the general population, this study also showed that children born to mothers who became pregnant again three months after giving birth had a 50 percent higher chance of being diagnosed with autism, and those born five years later had a 24 percent greater chance.”
People with certain genetic disorders, such as fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, and Down syndrome, are more likely to have ASD.
The researchers found that those children exposed to complications during childbirth were 10% likelier to develop autism while those who were exposed before labor were 22% likelier to develop autism.
Maternal stress has been associated with poor birth outcomes including preterm birth, infant mortality and low birthweight. Stress results in increases in cortisol, norepinephrine and inflammation which affect the fetal environment and have implications for maternal and infant health.
Inheritance. ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself.
Advances in diagnostic capabilities and greater understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder seem to be largely driving the increase, the Rutgers researchers said. But there's probably more to the story: Genetic factors, and perhaps some environmental ones, too, might also be contributing to the trend.
One study found that the chance of having ASD for children born to parents who are in their thirties is up to 10 percent higher than parents who are 25 to 29 years old. The same researchers found that the chance of developing ASD is 50 percent higher when the parents are in their 40s or 50s.