Early life events, especially during perinatal and neonatal period, have been proposed as important factors in the etiologic pathways of autism
Objectives:
To evaluate the association between selected antental and perinatal adverse events and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Methods:
A retrospective case-control study has been nested on ongoing prospective cohort study, and it included 102 ASD cases and 102 controls.
Results:
Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were generated from logistic regression models. ASD was found to be associated with social problems during pregnancy (OR = 1.39; 95% CI 1.01, 4.2), serious illness or trauma (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.02, 3.2), medication intake during pregnancy (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 0.96, 4.6), and premature delivery (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.1, 2.6). No evidence has been obtained for a significant association with gestational diabetes, anemia, and exposure to X-ray, or caesarian section.
Conclusions:
This study indicates that adverse early life events mightbe associated with increased risk of ASD. Further proof is sought through conduct of an undergoing prospective cohort study.
See more of: Epidemiology
See more of: Prevalence, Risk factors & Intervention