Pregnant women who were diagnosed with a bacterial infection while under hospital care were more likely to give birth to a child with autism spectrum disorder, states study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
The research contributes new evidence to a body of scientific literature on the role of infection in autism risk and points to areas for further examination.
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically characterized by impaired social and communication skills combined with repetitive movements.
Advertisement
The study included 407 children with autism and 2,075 matched children who did not have autism. The study included infants born between January 1995 and June 1999 who remained members of the Kaiser Permanente health plan for at least two years following birth.
"Though infections in pregnant women are fairly common, in this study most were not associated with an increased risk of autism," said Lisa A. Croen, PhD, research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and senior author of the study. "Only bacterial infections diagnosed in the hospital were associated with an increased risk.""Infections diagnosed in a hospital setting were more common among mothers of children who developed an ASD compared with mothers of children who did not develop an ASD," Croen further explained.
![Birth Defects - Infections]( "Birth Defects - Infections")
Birth defects are abnormalities, which occur before the birth of the baby and can be caused due to genetic, environmental and other unknown reasons.
Women with bacterial infections diagnosed during a hospitalization (including of the genitals, urinary tract and amniotic fluid) had a 58 percent greater risk of having a child with an ASD. While not very common in any of the mothers studied (1.5 percent of mothers of a child with ASD vs. 0.5 percent of mothers of a child without ASD), infections diagnosed during a hospitalization in the second trimester were associated with children having more than a three-fold increased risk of developing ASD.
"Infections diagnosed in an inpatient setting may represent more severe infections, and these were associated with increased risk of ASD," said Ousseny Zerbo, PhD, research fellow with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and the study's lead author.
While the mechanism for how maternal infections may influence autism risk has not been firmly established, Zerbo said animal tests have shown that immune-system responses to infections during pregnancy may influence the neurological development of the fetus.
"Our findings indicate that although most infections during pregnancy were not associated with autism in the child, there appears to be some increased risk for autism," Zerbo said. "It would be prudent for pregnant women to contact their doctor if they suspect an infection."
Source: Eurekalert
Birth Defects - Infections
Birth defects are abnormalities, which occur before the birth of the baby and can be caused due to genetic, environmental and other unknown reasons.
Advertisement
Women with bacterial infections diagnosed during a hospitalization (including of the genitals, urinary tract and amniotic fluid) had a 58 percent greater risk of having a child with an ASD. While not very common in any of the mothers studied (1.5 percent of mothers of a child with ASD vs. 0.5 percent of mothers of a child without ASD), infections diagnosed during a hospitalization in the second trimester were associated with children having more than a three-fold increased risk of developing ASD.
"Infections diagnosed in an inpatient setting may represent more severe infections, and these were associated with increased risk of ASD," said Ousseny Zerbo, PhD, research fellow with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and the study's lead author.
While the mechanism for how maternal infections may influence autism risk has not been firmly established, Zerbo said animal tests have shown that immune-system responses to infections during pregnancy may influence the neurological development of the fetus.
"Our findings indicate that although most infections during pregnancy were not associated with autism in the child, there appears to be some increased risk for autism," Zerbo said. "It would be prudent for pregnant women to contact their doctor if they suspect an infection."
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on Autism
Introduction Autism spectrum disorder is a complex genetic disorder that impairs social, behavioral, and communication functions in humans. Autistic people may act, communicate, interact, and learn differently than most other people. ASD usually begins in childhood and can last for the rest of a person's life, though symptoms may improve over time . This quiz on ' Autism
Advertisement
 Opportunities for Improvement Can be Identified By Evaluation of Hospital Infection Prevention PoliciesA survey reveals that identifying gaps in infection prevention practices may yield opportunities for improved patient safety. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Child Health News
In individuals with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplements raised their levels to the normal range. Despite this, they did not influence fracture risk.
Gaining deeper understanding of early perception is crucial for unraveling infant cognition and understanding how musical abilities impact early development.
Prenatal and postnatal B-12 vitamins increase the micro-nutrients in breast milk to support the development of the baby's brain.
The presence of Streptococcus in the placenta was associated with a two- to three-fold increase in the probability of neonatal unit admission.
Facing discrimination and acculturating during pregnancy could not only affect the mother but also potentially harm the baby's brain health.