Pasadena Study Ties Complications Before, During Birth to Autism in Children

Kaiser Permanente researchers in Pasadena say children exposed to complications before or during birth were more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than those who did not experience perinatal complications.

In a study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Perinatology, the Kaiser Permanente team said children exposed to complications both before and during birth had a 44 percent greater risk of developing the disorder.

The researchers examined electronic health records for 594,638 children born in Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Southern California between 1991 and 2009.

During this time, 6,255 of these children were diagnosed with ASD, the study said, with 37 percent of them having experienced perinatal complications. Those who were exposed to complications during birth were at a 10 percent increased risk of developing ASD. That number rose to a 22 percent increased risk for children exposed to complications before labor began.

Complications mentioned in the study include birth asphyxia, the deprivation of oxygen to the newborn during birth, and preeclampsia, a condition in pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to other organ systems.

“While there currently is no cure for ASD, early identification of children who may be at risk of developing the disorder is extremely important, as research shows that early intervention treatment services for children with ASD can greatly improve their development,” said Dr. Darios Getahun of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research and Evaluation, lead author of the study.

The study findings showed birth asphyxia and preeclampsia had the highest association with ASD. The other complications included premature separation of the placenta from the uterus, breech/transverse fetal presentation, fetal dystocia/abnormal size or position, and a prolapsed/exposed umbilical cord.

ASD is classified into a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction, communication deficits and a range of restricted and repetitive behavior patterns, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 68 children have been identified with ASD, and the disorder is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. ASD is about 4.5 times more common among boys than girls.

Kaiser Permanente said the study is part of the organization’s broader efforts to deliver transformational health research regarding autism spectrum disorder.

In August 2016, a Kaiser Permanente study found that the risk of younger siblings developing an autism spectrum disorder is 14 times higher if an older sibling has ASD. In 2015, a Kaiser Permanente study found that children whose mothers developed gestational diabetes by the 26th week of pregnancy were at increased risk of developing autism later in life.

The study was supported by Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit funds.