Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), also known as autism, is a prevalent developmental disorder that is increasingly diagnosed worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one in every 100 children has autism.
In the United States, these numbers are even higher. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s estimated that one in every 36 children is diagnosed with autism.
While researchers know autism is not caused by any one factor, but more a combination of genetic and environmental factors, studies are ongoing to determine the root cause of this condition.
The question of whether there is a link between preterm birth and autism has been a subject of controversy in research. While some studies have suggested a connection between delivering an infant prematurely and the development of autism, other research debunks that theory.
However, new findings presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting suggest that there is no significant association between preterm birth and autism.
According to a new study, the idea that preterm births contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might not hold up. Researchers examined over 114,000 deliveries in Israel from 2005-2017 and discovered no significant association between preterm delivery and autism after accounting for other factors like ethnicity and maternal age.
This comprehensive study, which included a diverse group of participants, suggests that the causes of autism are likely multifaceted, with no single obstetric factor being the determining factor. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex origins of autism, emphasizing the importance of considering multiple factors when understanding and addressing this developmental disorder.
Researchers analyzed data from nearly 115,000 deliveries spanning 12 years (2005-2017) obtained from hospitals and community clinics in Israel. The study encompassed a diverse range of pregnant individuals from different backgrounds including Jewish and Muslim populations as well as Bedouins—a minority group within the Muslim community who lead nomadic lives.
The study examined diagnoses of autism among children based on when they were born: extremely preterm, very preterm, moderate to late preterm, or term.
Out of the 114,975 pregnancies analyzed, only 0.3% of newborns were delivered extremely preterm (before 28 weeks), 0.6% were delivered very preterm (between 28 and just under 32 weeks), 6% were delivered moderate to late preterm (between 32 and just under 37 weeks), and the remaining 93.1% were delivered at term (between 37 and 42 weeks).
Initially, researchers observed a significant association between preterm delivery and the occurrence of autism (1.6% vs. 0.3% vs. 0.8% vs. 0.7% for extremely preterm, very preterm, moderate to late preterm, and term deliveries respectively). However, after conducting advanced analysis that considered factors such as ethnicity, small size for gestational age, maternal age, and infant gender in relation to autism, researchers found no significant connection between preterm birth and autism.
“The exact cause of autism is complex,” says Dr. Sapir Ellouk, the lead author of the study and an obstetrics and gynecology resident at Soroka Medical Center’s Saban Maternity and Birthing Center in Beer-Sheva, HaDarom, Israel.
“Based on our data alone, it is unlikely that a single obstetric factor is responsible for ASD development. A more plausible theory involves the simultaneous presence of multiple factors.”
It is estimated that the prevalence of Autism per 10,000 children is 504.49, which is #25 of 198 countries. The UK leads with 700/100K followed by Sweden, Japan, and the United States.
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