Association of Autism with Maternal Infections, Perinatal and Other Risk Factors: A Case-Control Study.
Male sex, maternal infections, feeding trouble, cousin marriage, and family mental illness raise autism odds, while first/second birth order and maternal support lower them.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Guisso et al. (2018) compared Lebanese children with and without autism.
They asked mothers about infections, feeding trouble, family marriage patterns, and mental-health history.
The team also noted baby’s sex and birth order.
What they found
Boys had higher autism odds than girls.
Maternal infections during pregnancy, postpartum feeding problems, cousin marriage, and family mental illness all raised the odds.
First or second children, plus moms who got psychological support, had lower odds.
How this fits with other research
Elbedour et al. (2024) extends the feeding link: longer breastfeeding cut autism odds in half.
Braam et al. (2018) conceptually replicates the maternal risk idea, but points to low melatonin instead of infection.
Gillberg et al. (2005) is a predecessor that already flagged paternal family history, showing this risk line is not new.
Why it matters
When you take a developmental history, ask about infections, feeding, and family marriages. Note birth order and mental-health background. These quick questions help you spot higher-risk kids and plan earlier screens.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This case-control study explores the association between pregnancy/birth complications and other factors with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Lebanese subjects aged 2-18 years. Researchers interviewed 136 ASD cases from the American University of Beirut Medical Center Special Kids Clinic, and 178 controls selected by systematic digit dialing in the Greater-Beirut area. Male gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio [95% CI]: 3.9 [2.2-7.0]); postpartum feeding difficulties (2.5 [1.2-5.4]); maternal infections/complications during pregnancy (2.9 [1.5-5.5], 2.1 [1.1-3.9]); consanguinity (2.5 [1.0-6.0]); family history of psychiatric disorders (2.2 [1.1-4.4]) were risk factors for ASD. Being born first/second (0.52 [0.28-0.95]) and maternal psychological support during pregnancy (0.49 [0.27-0.89]) were negatively associated with ASD. Identifying ASD correlates is crucial for instigating timely screening and subsequent early intervention.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2018 · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3449-x