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The Association Between Clinically Diagnosed Neonatal Jaundice and Autism: A Swedish Register-Based Cohort Study

Aleksandra Kanina1, Zhou Li1, Mina Rosenqvist1

  • 1Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal jaundice does not increase autism risk. Early life jaundice association with autism is explained by preterm birth and low birth weight, not a direct link.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Pediatric health

Background:

  • Neonatal jaundice is common in newborns.
  • Potential links between neonatal jaundice and neurodevelopmental outcomes, including autism, have been suggested.
  • Confounding factors in early life may influence this association.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between neonatal jaundice and autism risk.
  • To determine if perinatal risk factors confound the relationship between neonatal jaundice and autism.

Main Methods:

  • Population-based cohort study of over 1.6 million individuals born in Sweden (1992-2010).
  • Utilized Swedish health registers for data on jaundice and autism diagnoses.
  • Employed Cox regression analysis to estimate hazard ratios, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

  • An initial association was observed between neonatal jaundice and autism (HR=1.48).
  • This association significantly weakened after adjusting for gestational age and birth weight.
  • After full covariate adjustment, the association between neonatal jaundice and autism was nullified (HR=1.02).

Conclusions:

  • The observed association between neonatal jaundice and autism is confounded by perinatal factors, particularly preterm birth.
  • This study underscores the critical importance of considering and adjusting for perinatal confounders in research on early life exposures and autism.
  • Findings suggest that the link between neonatal jaundice and autism is not direct but influenced by underlying perinatal conditions.
Abstract

Keywords:
autismdelayed effectsjaundiceprenatal exposure

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