Brief report: a preliminary study of fetal head circumference growth in autism spectrum disorder
Andrew J O Whitehouse1, Martha Hickey, Fiona J Stanley
1Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Perth, WA, 6008, Australia. awhitehouse@ichr.uwa.edu.au
Insights
This study examined fetal head circumference (HC) growth in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Preliminary findings show no significant group differences in HC, suggesting further research into fetal development in ASD is needed.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Prenatal Development
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
- Altered prenatal growth patterns may contribute to ASD development.
- Understanding fetal development in ASD is crucial for early identification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively examine fetal head circumference (HC) growth in children later diagnosed with ASD.
- To compare HC growth trajectories between ASD participants and matched controls.
- To investigate the relationship between HC and overall body size during fetal development in ASD.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study design.
- Matched case-control analysis (14 ASD participants, 56 controls).
- Fetal HC measured via ultrasonography at 18 weeks gestation and at birth; body size indexed by femur length and birth length.
Main Results:
- No significant between-group differences in head circumference at 18 weeks gestation or at birth.
- A trend for disproportionately larger head circumference relative to body size in a subset of ASD children was observed but did not reach statistical significance.
- Small sample size limited statistical power to detect subtle differences.
Conclusions:
- Preliminary findings do not indicate significant differences in fetal head circumference growth between ASD children and controls.
- Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to explore potential subtle alterations in fetal growth patterns in ASD.
- Investigating prenatal growth may offer insights into the etiology of autism spectrum disorder.
Abstract:
Fetal head circumference (HC) growth was examined prospectively in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD participants (N = 14) were each matched with four control participants (N = 56) on a range of parameters known to influence fetal growth. HC was measured using ultrasonography at approximately 18 weeks gestation and again at birth using a paper tape-measure. Overall body size was indexed by fetal femur-length and birth length. There was no between-groups difference in head circumference at either time-point. While a small number of children with ASD had disproportionately large head circumference relative to body size at both time-points, the between-groups difference did not reach statistical significance in this small sample. These preliminary findings suggest that further investigation of fetal growth in ASD is warranted.
