Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Pre-Eclampsia, Birth Weight, and Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are primarily inherited, but perinatal or other environmental factors may also be important. In an analysis of 87,677 births from 1996 through 2002, insured by the South Carolina Medicaid program, birth weight was significantly inversely associated with the odds of ASD (OR = 0.78, p = .001 for each additional kilogram). Maternal pre-eclampsia/eclampsia was significantly associated with greater odds of ASD (OR = 1.85, p < .0001 without controlling for birth weight; OR = 1.69, p = .0005, when controlling for birth weight). We conclude that reduced birth weight partially mediates the association between pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and ASD. Additional research is needed to investigate the potential mechanism(s) by which pre-eclampsia/eclampsia may influence ASD risk.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alexander, G. R., Kogan, M. D., & Himes, J. H. (1999). 1994–1996 US singleton birth weight percentiles for gestational age by race, Hispanic origin, and gender. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 3, 225–231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-IV-TR Edition.

  • Arndt, T. L., Stodgell, C. J., & Rodier, P. M. (2005). The teratology of autism. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 23, 189–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arpino, C., D’Argenzio, L., Ticconi, C., Di Paolo, A., Stellin, V., Lopez, L., et al. (2005). Brain damage in preterm infants: Etiological pathways. Ann Ist Super Sanita, 41, 229–237.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castellani, M. L., Conti, C. M., Kempuraj, D. J., Salini, V., Vecchiet, J., Tete, S., et al. (2009). Autism and immunity: Revisited study. International Journal of Immunopathology Pharmacology, 22, 15–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders—autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, six sites, United States, 2000, Morb Mort Wkly Report, 56 (SS01):1–11.

  • Cohly, H. H., & Panja, A. (2005). Immunological findings in autism. International Review of Neurobiology, 71, 317–341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Courchesne, E., Redcay, E., Morgan, J. T., & Kennedy, D. P. (2005). Autism at the beginning: Microstructural and growth abnormalities underlying the cognitive and behavioral phenotype of autism. Development and Psychopathology, 17, 577–597.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durkin, M. S., Maenner, M. J., Newschaffer, C. J., Lee, L. C., Cunniff, C. M., Daniels, J. L., et al. (2008). Advanced parental age and the risk of autism spectrum disorder. American Journal of Epidemiology, 168, 1268–1276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (2005). Epidemiology of autistic disorder and other pervasive developmental disorders. J Clin Psychiatry, 66(Suppl 10), 3–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fombonne, E. (2009). Epidemiology of pervasive developmental disorders. Pediatric Research, 65, 591–598.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Glasson, E. J., Bower, C., Petterson, B., de Klerk, N., Chaney, G., & Hallmayer, J. F. (2004). Perinatal factors and the development of autism: A population study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61, 618–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldenberg, R. L., Culhane, J. F., Iams, J. D., & Romero, R. (2008). Epidemiology and causes of preterm birth. Lancet, 371, 75–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert, M. R., Russo, J. P., Yang, S., Roohi, J., Blaxill, M., Kahler, S. G., et al. (2006). Autism and environmental genomics. Neurotoxicology, 27(5), 671–684.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hultman, C. M., Sparen, P., & Cnattingius, S. (2002). Perinatal risk factors for infantile autism. Epidemiology, 13, 417–423.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Irminger-Finger, I., Jastrow, N., & Irion, O. (2008). Preeclampsia: A danger growing in disguise. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 40, 1979–1983.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kolevzon, A., Gross, R., & Reichenberg, A. (2007). Prenatal and perinatal risk factors for autism: A review and integration of findings. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 161, 326–333.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li, X., Chauhan, A., Sheikh, A. M., Patil, S., Chauhan, V., Li, X. M., et al. (2009). Elevated immune response in the brain of autistic patients. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 207, 111–116.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, D. P., Lockwood, C. M., Hoffman, J. M., West, S. G., & Sheets, V. (2002). A comparsion of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects. Psychological Methods, 7, 83–104.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marlow, N. (2004). Neurocognitive outcome after very preterm birth. Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 89, F224–F228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mason-Brothers, A., Ritvo, E. R., Pingree, C., Petersen, P. B., Jenson, W. R., McMahon, W. M., et al. (1990). The UCLA-University of Utah epidemiologic survey of autism: Prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal factors. Pediatrics, 86, 514–519.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, A. M., & O’Brien, K. (2006). Follow-up issues with multiples. Paediatrics and Child Health, 11, 283–286.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moss, J., & Howlin, P. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders in genetic syndromes: Implications for diagnosis, intervention and understanding the wider autism spectrum disorder population. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53, 852–873.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muhle, R., Trentacoste, B. A., & Rapin, I. (2004). The genetics of autism. Pediatrics, 113, e472–e486.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ouyang, Y. Q., Li, S. J., Zhang, Q., Cai, H. B., & Chen, H. P. (2009). Interactions between inflammatory and oxidative stress in preeclampsia. Hypertension in Pregnancy, 28, 56–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, G. B., & Mendelsohn, N. J. (2008). Genetics evaluation for the etiologic diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. Genetics in Medicine, 10, 4–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schendel, D., & Bhasin, T. K. (2008). Birth weight and gestational age characteristics of children with autism, including a comparison with other developmental disabilities. Pediatrics, 121, 1155–1164.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sibai, B., Dekker, G., & Kupferminc, M. (2005). Pre-eclampsia. Lancet, 365, 785–799.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, J. A. C. (2008). Autism, a brain developmental disorder: Some new pathophysiologic and genetics findings. Metabolism Clinical and Experimental, 57(Suppl 2), S40–S43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., Lord, C., Bailey, A., Schultz, R. T., & Klin, A. (2004). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 135–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. M., & Marlow, N. (2008). Neurocognitive outcome following fetal growth restriction. Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 93, F322–F325.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, G., Goldsmith, L. T., Taylor, R. N., Bellet, D., & Taylor, H. S. (2009). Inflammation in reproductive disorders. Reproductive Science, 16, 216–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeargin-Allsopp, M., Rice, C., Karapurkar, T., Doernberg, N., Boyle, C., & Murphy, C. (2003). Prevalence of autism in a US metropolitan area. JAMA, 289, 49–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding statement: This research was funded by the Health Resources and Services. Administration, grant # R40MC11277-01-00.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29203, USA

    Joshua R. Mann & Suzanne McDermott

  2. University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC, USA

    Haikun Bao & James Hardin

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29203, USA

    Anthony Gregg

Authors
  1. Joshua R. Mann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Suzanne McDermott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Haikun Bao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. James Hardin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Anthony Gregg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joshua R. Mann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mann, J.R., McDermott, S., Bao, H. et al. Pre-Eclampsia, Birth Weight, and Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 40, 548–554 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0903-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0903-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation