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The effect of gestational age on symptom severity in children with autism spectrum disorder

Tammy Z Movsas1, Nigel Paneth

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. tmovsas@epi.msu.edu

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|March 17, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Gestational age impacts Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptom severity. Both preterm and post-term birth are linked to increased ASD symptoms, while normal gestational age may reduce social impairment in children with ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
  • Gestational age at birth is a known factor influencing child development.
  • Understanding factors that modify ASD symptomatology is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between gestational age and ASD symptom severity.
  • To determine if preterm or post-term birth influences social communication and responsiveness in ASD children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 4,188 mothers of children aged 4-21 diagnosed with ASD.
  • Employed online questionnaires: Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).
  • Performed univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses, adjusting for child's sex, verbal ability, IQ, and fetal growth rate.

Main Results:

  • Significantly higher SCQ and SRS scores were observed in ASD children born preterm (<37 weeks) and post-term (>42 weeks) compared to those born at normal gestational age.
  • These findings indicate increased ASD symptomatology associated with both preterm and post-term births.
  • Normal gestational age was associated with mitigated social impairment severity in ASD children.

Conclusions:

  • Gestational age is a significant factor associated with the severity of social impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Both preterm and post-term births are linked to more pronounced ASD symptoms.
  • Normal gestational age at birth appears to be a protective factor, potentially mitigating social deficits in children with ASD.

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