Prenatal Risk Factors of Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Congenital Visual and Hearing Loss: A Case-Control...

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Ophthalmology
• Audiology

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and visual/hearing loss (VL/HL) share some associations.
• Understanding unique risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare prenatal risk factors specific to ASD versus VL/HL.
• To differentiate etiological pathways between neurodevelopmental and sensory impairments.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study design was employed.
• Participants included individuals with ASD and controls with VL/HL recruited from special schools.
• Parental questionnaires gathered data on demographics, socioeconomic status, family history, and pregnancy complications.

Main Results:

• Higher parental education and gestational hypertension were significantly associated with increased ASD risk.
• Female gender, non-cohabiting parents, and consanguineous marriages were linked to higher VL/HL risk.
• A notable difference in male-to-female ratio was observed between the ASD and VL/HL groups.

Conclusions:

• This study highlights distinct prenatal risk factor profiles for ASD compared to VL/HL.
• Findings suggest unique etiological pathways for ASD, warranting further investigation into specific risk factors.