Risk of autism associated with general anesthesia during cesarean delivery: a population-based birth-cohort analysis.
General anesthesia for C-section shows a small autism uptick in one cohort, but larger reviews find no steady pattern.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Chien et al. (2015) tracked a large birth cohort in Taiwan. They asked: do babies born by C-section under general anesthesia have higher odds of later autism?
The team compared three groups: vaginal birth, C-section with regional anesthesia (epidural), and C-section with general anesthesia. They followed kids until an average age of seven.
What they found
Kids delivered by C-section with general anesthesia had a 52 % higher chance of an autism diagnosis than those born vaginally. The risk stayed small in real numbers, but the uptick was statistically clear.
C-sections done with an epidural showed no extra risk. The signal pointed only to the general anesthesia group.
How this fits with other research
He et al. (2024) pooled 24 studies in a fresh meta-analysis and saw no consistent link between delivery-day anesthesia and autism. Their wider lens dilutes the single positive signal seen here.
Xenitidis et al. (2010) also found nothing when they counted prenatal ultrasound scans. Like the current study, they used population records, but their exposure left no footprint on autism odds.
The 2015 result is not overturned; it simply looks smaller when extra data are added. Think of it as a lone blip that fades in the bigger picture.
Why it matters
When families ask about birth choices, you can share that general anesthesia during a C-section may carry a tiny added autism risk, but later studies call the link shaky. Keep the focus on medically advised delivery plans, not fear of autism.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The rates of Cesarean delivery (C-section) have risen to >30% in numerous countries. Increased risk of autism has been shown in neonates delivered by C-section. This study examined the incidence of autism in neonates delivered vaginally, by C-section with regional anesthesia (RA), and by C-section with general anesthesia (GA) to evaluate the risk of autism associated with C-section and obstetric anesthesia. During a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, the incidence of autism was higher in neonates delivered by C-section with GA than in neonates delivered vaginally, with an adjusted risk of 1.52 (95% confidence interval 1.18-1.94). However, the adjusted risk of autism in neonates delivered by C-section with RA and in neonates delivered vaginally was nonsignificantly different.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2015 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2247-y