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Pregnancy risk factors related to autism: an Italian case–control study in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their siblings and of typically developing children

Part of: French DOHaD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2018

E. Grossi Open the ORCID record for E. Grossi [Opens in a new window] ,
L. Migliore  and
F. Muratori
E. Grossi*
Affiliation:
Department of Autism Research, Villa Santa Maria Foundation, Tavernerio, Italy
L. Migliore
Affiliation:
Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
F. Muratori
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Italy Department of Developmental Neuroscience, University of Pisa, Calambrone, Italy
*
Address for correspondence: E. Grossi, Autism Research Unit, Villa Santa Maria Institute, Via IV Novembre, 22038, Tavernerio (CO), Italy. E-mail: enzo.grossi@bracco.com
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Abstract

This study, carried out in two Italian Institutions, assesses the frequency of 27 potential autism risk factors related to pregnancy and peri- and postnatal periods by interviewing mothers who had children with autism, children with autism and one or two typically developing siblings, or only typically developing children. The clinical sample included three case groups: 73 children and adolescents with autism (Group A), 35 children and adolescents with autism (Group A1) having 45 siblings (Group B) and 96 typically developing children (Group C) matched for gender and age. Twenty-five out of 27 of risk factors presented a higher frequency in Group A in comparison with Group C and for nine of them a statistically significant difference was found. Twenty-one out of 27 of risk factors presented a higher frequency in Group A in comparison with Group B. A higher prevalence of environmental risk factors was observed in 11 risk factors in the Group A1 in comparison with Group B and for nine of them an odds ratio higher than 1.5 was found. For 13 factors there was a progressive increase in frequency going from Group C, B and A and a statistically higher prevalence of the mean number of stressful events per pregnancy was recorded in Group A when compared with Groups B and C. The results suggest that environmental, incidental phenomena and stressful life events can influence pregnancy outcome in predisposed subjects, pointing out a possible threshold effect in women who are predisposed to have suboptimal pregnancies.

Keywords

developmental stagehumannewborn/infantpregnancy
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 9 , Issue 4: Themed Issue: French DOHaD , August 2018 , pp. 442 - 449
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2018 

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