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Maternal C-Reactive Protein Concentration in Early Pregnancy and Child Autistic Traits in the General Population

Natasja Koks1,2, Akhgar Ghassabian1,2,3, Kirstin Greaves-Lord2,4

  • 1The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|February 11, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) during pregnancy was not directly linked to autistic traits in children. The observed association was confounded by socioeconomic and maternal health factors, suggesting further research into other inflammatory markers is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive health
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Elevated maternal inflammatory markers in pregnancy are a potential factor in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) etiology.
  • This study investigates the prospective association between maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) in early pregnancy and autistic traits in offspring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) levels during early pregnancy and autistic traits in children.
  • To determine if this association is influenced by confounding factors.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cohort study in the Netherlands (N=4165) measured maternal CRP before 18 weeks of gestation.
  • Parental reports on children's autistic traits at age 6 were collected using the Social Responsiveness Scale and Pervasive Developmental Problem scale.
  • Regression models analyzed the association between maternal CRP and autistic traits, with adjustments for confounding variables.

Main Results:

  • Elevated maternal CRP (>7.8 mg/L) was associated with higher Social Responsiveness Scale scores in children.
  • This association was significantly attenuated after adjusting for socioeconomic and maternal health factors, particularly body mass index.
  • No significant association was found between maternal CRP levels and pervasive developmental problems.

Conclusions:

  • The link between elevated maternal CRP in pregnancy and autistic traits in children appears to be confounded by maternal health and socioeconomic factors.
  • Further research is warranted to investigate other maternal inflammatory markers during pregnancy and their potential role in offspring neurodevelopment.
Abstract

Keywords:
C-reactive proteinautistic traitschildrenlongitudinalpregnancy

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