Related Experiment Videos
Pre- and perinatal factors in high-functioning females and males with autism
C Lord1, C Mulloy, M Wendelboe
1Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7180.
Insights
High-functioning autism is linked to more pregnancy and delivery complications, particularly birth order, compared to siblings. Pre- and perinatal factors may play a smaller role in high-functioning autism than in severe intellectual disability-associated autism.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Perinatal Health
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
- Etiological factors in ASD are multifactorial, with ongoing research into genetic and environmental influences.
- Previous studies suggest a link between prenatal and perinatal complications and autism, particularly in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pregnancy and delivery complications in high-functioning autistic individuals compared to their neurotypical siblings.
- To explore potential sex differences in these complications within the autistic group.
- To assess the role of pre- and perinatal factors in the etiology of high-functioning autism.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study design.
- Inclusion of 23 high-functioning autistic females and 23 high-functioning autistic males.
- Comparison group comprised 54 normally developing siblings.
- Data collected from medical records and maternal reports.
Main Results:
- Autistic subjects exhibited higher non-optimality scores, largely explained by a higher incidence of firstborns and later-borns (fourth or more).
- Prolonged gestation (over 42 weeks) was more frequent in autistic subjects than siblings.
- Autistic males, unlike females, originated from larger families.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest a potential contribution of non-specific pre- and perinatal factors to autism etiology.
- The role of pre- and perinatal factors may be less significant in high-functioning autism compared to autism associated with severe intellectual disability.
- Birth order appears to be a notable factor differentiating high-functioning autistic individuals from their siblings.
Abstract:
Pregnancy and delivery complications as indicated in medical records and maternal reports for 23 high-functioning autistic females and 23 high-functioning males of similar IQ and age were compared with those of 54 of their normally developing siblings. Autistic subjects of both sexes had higher non-optimality scores than their siblings. Much of this difference was accounted for by a higher incidence of firstborns and fourth- or later-borns in the autistic group. Of factors found in previous research with mentally handicapped, autistic samples, only estimated weeks of gestation greater than 42 occurred more often in autistic subjects than siblings. The only sex difference specific to the autistic group was that autistic males came from larger families than females. These data provide slight support for the contribution of nonspecific pre- and perinatal factors to other etiological bases of autism. It is proposed that pre- and perinatal factors may play less of a role in autism in high-functioning individuals than suggested in studies of autism associated with severe retardation.