A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals a correlation between higher levels of maternal autistic traits and an elevated risk of adverse birth outcomes. Conducted by Mariko Hosozawa, M.D., Ph.D., from the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, the research aimed to explore the association between maternal autistic traits and the likelihood of adverse birth outcomes.
The cohort study involved mothers of singletons from a nationwide, multicenter prospective birth cohort. A total of 87,687 women participated, and their autistic traits were self-reported during the second and third trimesters using the short form of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version (AQ-J10).
Findings indicated that 2,350 women (2.7 percent) had AQ-J10 scores within the clinical range, with 18 (0.02 percent) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The study revealed that a higher AQ-J10 score was linked to an increased risk for various adverse birth outcomes, including preterm births, moderate-to-late preterm births, very preterm births, and children born small for gestational age (SGA). After adjusting for maternal and pregnancy-related factors, the relative risk per one-standard deviation increase was 1.06, 1.05, 1.16, and 1.04, respectively.
Women within the clinical range of AQ-J10 scores exhibited elevated risks for preterm births, moderate-to-late preterm births, very preterm births, and children born SGA compared to those below the clinical range. The relative risks were 1.16, 1.12, 1.49, and 1.11, respectively.
The authors of the study emphasize the significance of acknowledging the perinatal health disparity experienced by women with a high level of autistic traits, particularly those within the clinical range. Health care practitioners are urged to consider this association and tailor care accordingly.
