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Published on: April 22, 2015

Perinatal and Socio-Demographic Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children Aged Three to Six Years:

Rojalin Rout1, Pravati Jena1, Manas Ranjan Behera1

  • 1Paediatrics, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, IND.

Cureus
|June 19, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Male gender, maternal anemia, smoking, and family structure are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. Addressing maternal risk factors and socio-cultural influences is crucial for early ASD detection.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing global concern, influenced by genetic, environmental, and socio-demographic factors.
  • Understanding these factors is key for early identification and prevention strategies for ASD.
  • This study focuses on perinatal and socio-demographic factors associated with ASD in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between perinatal factors and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children aged 3-6 years.
  • To evaluate the link between socio-demographic variables and ASD in the same age group.
  • To identify key risk factors for ASD to inform early detection and intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study at a tertiary care center in Bhubaneswar, India, involving 160 children aged 3-6 years with suspected ASD.
  • Screening using the Trivandrum Autism Behavioural Checklist (TABC) and diagnosis with the INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder (INDT-ASD).
  • Data collected on perinatal factors (e.g., maternal anemia, smoking) and socio-demographic variables (e.g., family type), analyzed using statistical tests and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

  • Out of 160 children, 25 (15.6%) were diagnosed with ASD.
  • Significant associations found with male gender (OR: 3.61), maternal anemia (OR: 3.35), and maternal smoking (OR: 10.22).
  • Children in nuclear families had lower odds of ASD (OR: 0.09) compared to joint families; p < 0.05 for all significant findings.

Conclusions:

  • Male gender, maternal anemia, maternal smoking, and family structure (nuclear vs. joint) are significant factors associated with ASD.
  • Highlights the importance of addressing modifiable maternal risk factors and socio-cultural aspects in ASD.
  • Recommends further large-scale prospective studies to validate these findings and inform public health strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
associated factorsautism spectrum disordermaternal smokingperinatal factorssocio-economic factors

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