ABA Blog: Prenatal risk factors for autism: comprehensive meta-analysis -- Gardener et al. 195 (1): 7 -- The British Journal of Psychiatry

2009-07-03

Prenatal risk factors for autism: comprehensive meta-analysis -- Gardener et al. 195 (1): 7 -- The British Journal of Psychiatry

"Results
Over 50 prenatal factors have been examined. The factors associated with autism risk in the meta-analysis were advanced parental age at birth, maternal prenatal medication use, bleeding, gestational diabetes, being first born v. third or later, and having a mother born abroad. The factors with the strongest evidence against a role in autism risk included previous fetal loss and maternal hypertension, proteinuria, pre-eclampsia and swelling.
Conclusions
There is insufficient evidence to implicate any one prenatal factor in autism aetiology, although there is some evidence to suggest that exposure to pregnancy complications may increase the risk."

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