Pre-eclampsia, birth weight, and autism spectrum disorders.
Joshua R Mann1, Suzanne McDermott, Haikun Bao
1Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, 29203, USA. Joshua.mann@uscmed.sc.edu
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|November 26, 2009
Summary
Reduced birth weight is linked to higher autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk. Maternal pre-eclampsia also increases ASD odds, with birth weight partially explaining this connection.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal research
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Public health
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have complex etiologies, involving genetic and potential environmental factors.
- Perinatal conditions are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between birth weight, maternal pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
- To determine if reduced birth weight mediates the relationship between pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and ASD.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large cohort of 87,677 births from South Carolina Medicaid data (1996-2002).
- Statistical analysis including logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (OR) and assess significance (p-values).
- Examined associations with ASD, controlling for birth weight where appropriate.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse association was found between birth weight and ASD odds (OR = 0.78 per kg, p = .001).
- Maternal pre-eclampsia/eclampsia showed a significant association with increased ASD odds (OR = 1.85, p < .0001 without birth weight adjustment; OR = 1.69, p = .0005 with adjustment).
- Reduced birth weight was identified as a partial mediator in the pre-eclampsia/eclampsia-ASD association.
Conclusions:
- Reduced birth weight plays a partial role in mediating the increased risk of ASD associated with maternal pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the specific biological mechanisms linking pre-eclampsia/eclampsia to ASD risk.
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