Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Maternal pregnancy complications and offspring autism spectrum disorder risk: an umbrella review
Manman Zhu1, Hao Yang2, Bo Feng3
1Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of West China, Second University Hospital of Sichuan University & Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of the Ministry of Education, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Insights
This umbrella review found no convincing evidence linking maternal pregnancy complications to offspring autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most associations were based on weak or suggestive evidence, highlighting the need for more robust studies.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence is rising globally, necessitating improved early prediction and prevention strategies.
- Current understanding of maternal pregnancy complications' role in offspring ASD risk is limited.
- This umbrella review synthesizes existing evidence on this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- To assess the evidence linking maternal pregnancy complications to offspring ASD.
- To stratify the strength of evidence for identified associations.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to July 16, 2025.
- Inclusion of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on pregnancy complications and ASD.
- Quality assessment using AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS, with random-effects meta-analysis and bias assessment.
Main Results:
- 14 meta-analyses (30 studies) were included, with most systematic reviews being of critically low quality.
- Associations with increased ASD risk were noted for gestational diabetes, preconception obesity, excessive gestational weight gain, PCOS, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, infections, autoimmune diseases, and asthma.
- All analyses exhibited a high risk of bias, with no convincing evidence identified.
Conclusions:
- No associations between maternal pregnancy complications and offspring ASD were supported by convincing evidence.
- Evidence for most associations was suggestive or weak.
- Further high-quality primary studies are required to clarify these potential links and their effect sizes.
Introduction:
The global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing, yet effective strategies for early prediction and prevention are still limited. This umbrella review aims to synthesize available evidence on the association between maternal pregnancy complications and offspring ASD.
Methods:
Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched all published literature from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to July 16, 2025, for systematic reviews on pregnancy complications and ASD. Only systematic reviews published in English were considered. Observational studies were included, while those on other neurodevelopmental disorders or teratogens were excluded. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment (using AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS) were conducted independently by two reviewers. Statistical analyses included random-effects meta-analysis, excess significance bias, Egger's test for publication bias, and sensitivity analysis.
Results:
Among 596 identified records, 43 systematic reviews were assessed, with 2 (4.65%) moderate quality, 7 (16.28%) low quality, and 34 (79.07%) critically low quality. Fourteen meta-analyses (10 complication types, 30 studies) were included. Significant associations with increased ASD risk were found for gestational diabetes (OR = 1.29, 95% CI:1.14-1.45), preconception obesity (OR = 1.42, 95%CI:1.22-1.65), excessive gestational weight gain (OR = 1.18, 95%CI:1.08-1.29), polycystic ovary syndrome (OR = 1.64, 95%CI:1.50-1.82), gestational hypertension (OR = 1.37, 95%CI:1.22-1.55), pre-eclampsia (OR = 1.50, 95%CI:1.26-1.78), unclassified pregnancy infections (OR = 1.13, 95%CI:1.03-1.23), maternal autoimmune diseases (OR = 1.30, 95%CI:1.20-1.42), and asthma (OR = 1.36, 95%CI:1.28-1.44). All analyses had a high risk of bias; no convincing evidence was identified.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, this umbrella review provides a stratified assessment of evidence linking pregnancy complications to offspring ASD. No associations were supported by convincing evidence; most were based on suggestive or weak evidence, with only a limited number reaching highly suggestive levels. These findings underscore the need for more robust primary studies to clarify these associations and their effect sizes.
More Related Videos
08:30Author Spotlight: Exploring Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Fruit Flies — Genetic Models and Behavioral Tests
Published on: September 6, 2024
08:17A Semantic Priming Event-related Potential ERP Task to Study Lexico-semantic and Visuo-semantic Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 12, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
02:37The Electromagnetic Spectrum
01:24The Electromagnetic Spectrum
01:10Review and Preview
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
01:13Review and Preview
01:19IR Spectrum
Transmittance is defined as the ratio of the radiant power passing through a sample to that from the radiation's source. Multiplying the transmittance by 100 gives the percent transmittance (%T), which varies between 100% (no absorption) and 0%...