A study following 224,353 children in a Northern California health system found that several maternal health conditions recorded during pregnancy were associated with autism diagnoses, with the strength of four associations differing across racial and ethnic groups. The results, published in JAMA Network Open, report these associations but do not show that maternal conditions caused autism.
Get workout gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Why It Matters
Magdalena Janecka said that most studies examining potential autism risk factors assume their effects are the same across population groups, although they may vary. This study reported differences in the strength of some associations across racial and ethnic groups.
The study does not establish a biological explanation for the differences. The authors said variation could reflect healthcare access, diagnostic practices, or unmeasured environmental and genetic factors. Race and ethnicity are not explanations by themselves, and an observed association does not mean a condition caused autism in an individual child.
Aisha Dickerson, PhD, MSPH, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, wrote in an accompanying editorial that electronic health records can support large observational studies but still depend on people receiving care. She said the results support continued attention to healthcare access and to how maternal and child identities are considered in research.
maternal health tracking monitor
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Background
Earlier research has reported associations between autism and several maternal conditions during pregnancy, including obesity, diabetes, hypertensive disorders, asthma, depression, and anxiety. Magdalena Janecka said most studies examining potential risk factors for autism assume that their effects are the same across population groups, although there may be variation.
The researchers found that mothers in the cohort had a median of two recorded conditions; 53.4% had two or more, and 10.7% had five or more. The analysis used health-system records to assess maternal conditions and autism diagnoses. Janecka told MedPage Today that access to healthcare can affect whether people receive a diagnosis; she discussed maternal depression as an example of challenges in obtaining a diagnosis and possible differences in medication after diagnosis.
The study comes amid public attention to possible causes of autism. Autism’s causes remain unclear, and this analysis does not resolve them. It examined recorded maternal diagnoses and later child diagnoses; it did not test a single cause or establish that changing a maternal condition would change a child’s likelihood of being autistic.
prenatal health monitoring device
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What’s Next
The authors called for research into other dimensions that may shape these associations, including insurance status. They also said environmental and genetic factors could help explain the findings. Longer follow-up could help determine whether patterns differ when children are observed into later ages.
For now, the report adds evidence about patterns in recorded maternal diagnoses and child autism diagnoses, while leaving their causes unresolved. It does not establish that preventing or treating any of the conditions examined would prevent autism. Further research would need to clarify how healthcare access, diagnostic practices, and other factors contribute to the observed differences.
Source: rss
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
