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Preconception Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder - A Pilot Study
Hankus Magdalena1, Kazek Beata2, Justyna Paprocka1
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medical Science in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 42-600 Katowice, Poland.
Insights
Maternal mental illness history, thyroid disease, and oral contraceptive use were linked to an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These preconception factors highlight areas for further research and potential monitoring for early detection of ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Genetics and Epidemiology
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with multifactorial causes.
- Preconception risk factors for ASD remain inadequately understood, necessitating further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify significant preconception risk factors associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted among parents of children diagnosed with ASD and healthy controls.
- Thirteen potential risk factors were analyzed, including maternal health history, conception methods, and family medical history.
- Statistical analysis was performed to determine significant associations between factors and ASD development.
Main Results:
- Maternal history of mental illness (35.54% vs. 16.0%, p = 0.0002) was significantly associated with increased ASD risk.
- Maternal thyroid disease (16.67% vs. 5.0%, p = 0.009) showed a statistically significant link to higher ASD incidence.
- Maternal oral contraceptive use (46.28% vs. 29.0%, p = 0.01) was also found to be a significant risk factor for ASD.
Conclusions:
- Maternal mental illness, thyroid disease, and oral contraceptive use are identified as significant preconception risk factors for autism spectrum disorder.
- Children born to mothers with these risk factors warrant close monitoring for early signs of ASD.
- Further research is recommended to elucidate the causal relationship between oral contraceptive use and offspring neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of multifactorial etiology. Preconception risk factors are still poorly understood. A survey on preconception risk factors for ASD was conducted among parents of 121 ASD patients aged 3-12 years and parents of 100 healthy children aged 3-12 years. The exclusion criteria were as follows: the presence of associated problems such as intellectual disability, epilepsy or other genetic and neurological diseases. Thirteen parameters were considered, a few among which were conception problems, conception with assisted reproductive techniques, the use and duration of oral contraception, the number of previous pregnancies and miscarriages, time since the previous pregnancy (in months), the history of mental illness in the family (including ASD), other chronic diseases in the mother or father and maternal and paternal treatment in specialist outpatient clinics. Three factors statistically significantly increased the risk of developing ASD: mental illness in the mother/mother's family (35.54% vs. 16.0%, p = 0.0002), maternal thyroid disease (16.67% vs. 5.0%, p = 0.009) and maternal oral contraception (46.28% vs. 29.0%, p = 0.01). Children of mothers with thyroid disorders or with mental illness in relatives should be closely monitored for ASD. Further studies are warranted to assess a potential effect of oral contraception on the development of offspring.
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