The maternal body as environment in autism science

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Sociology of Science
• Autism Research

Background:

• Recent research highlights environmental risk factors for autism.
• Complex narratives of autism causes and child development anxieties are emerging.
• Post-genomic science shapes how environmental factors are understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how the "maternal body as environment" is constructed in autism science.
• To identify the characteristics of this "maternal body as environment" concept.
• To explore the implications of this concept for women, social justice, and environmental health politics.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of scientific literature and discourse on autism and environmental risk factors.
• Focus on the materialization of the environment in post-genomic science.
• Examination of narratives linking autism risk to women's bodies before and during pregnancy.

Main Results:

• The concept of the "maternal body as environment" in autism science is characterized by: molecularization of the environment, individualization of risk, and internalization of responsibility.
• This framing creates a new politics of risk and responsibility.
• It may lead to increased medical and social surveillance of women's bodies and decisions.

Conclusions:

• The "maternal body as environment" concept risks overshadowing broader societal issues like uneven exposure distribution and neurodiversity.
• This framing has significant implications for women's autonomy and social justice.
• It signals a critical shift in the politics of environmental health in the post-genomic era.