Two recent studies examined how factors in labor and pregnancy can cause or reduce the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Autism and Folic Acid
One study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that pregnant women who take folic acid during pregnancy reduce the chances of their children developing autism by up to 40 percent. Most of us ingest a form of folic acid quite frequently; in the U.S., many grain and cereal products contain folic acid supplements. Folic acid is a B vitamin that encourages healthy cell growth.
The study examined births in Norway, where the consumption of folic acid is not as widespread as it is here, and found that children whose mothers who did not take the B vitamin supplements had increased rates of ASD, Aspergers and other developmental disabilities.
Autism and Premature Birth
While folic acid may decrease the risk of autism, a premature birth can have the opposite effect. Researchers in Melbourne, Australia studied 177 children born prematurely and found that many of them developed certain disorders at a much higher rate than the general population. Of those 177 children, 11 percent had anxiety disorders, 10 percent developed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 4.5 percent were diagnosed with ASD.
The researchers said that autism rates in preterm babies was nearly quadruple the autism rate for the general population.
Our firm is currently investigating claims of medical negligence that leads to autism. If you suspect that a doctor’s mistake during your pregnancy or labor led to your child’s disorder, we would be interested in speaking with you. For a no charge consultation, please call 1-800-460-0606.
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – birth injury attorneys
[Did you know? One in 88 children have an autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control.]
