Maternal infection during pregnancy and risk of autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Brain Behav Immun

State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, China. Electronic address:

Published: November 2016

AI Article Synopsis

  • * The analysis included 15 studies with over 40,000 ASD cases, finding a significant overall increased risk (OR=1.13) and an even higher risk (OR=1.30) among hospitalized cases.
  • * Factors such as the type of infection, timing, and location of infection can influence the level of risk, with potential mechanisms involving both direct pathogen effects and inflammatory responses impacting brain development.

Article Abstract

Conflicting evidence exists with regard to the relationship between maternal infection during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically assess this relationship. To identify relevant studies, we conducted systematic searches in PubMed and Embase of scientific articles published through March 2016. Random-effects models were adopted to estimate overall relative risk. A total of 15 studies (2 cohort and 13 case-control studies) involving more than 40,000 ASD cases were included in our meta-analysis. Our results showed that maternal infection during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of ASD in offspring (OR=1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.23), particularly among those requiring hospitalization (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.14-1.50). Subgroup analyses suggested that risk may be modulated by the type of infectious agent, time of infectious exposure, and site of infection. These findings indicate that maternal infection during pregnancy increases the risk of ASD in offspring. Possible mechanisms may include direct effects of pathogens and, more indirectly, the effects of inflammatory responses on the developing brain.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2016.06.005DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

maternal infection
16
infection pregnancy
16
asd offspring
12
pregnancy risk
8
risk autism
8
autism spectrum
8
risk asd
8
risk
6
maternal
4
pregnancy
4

Similar Publications

Infant respiratory infections modulate lymphocyte homing to breast milk.

Front Immunol

January 2025

Laboratorio de Pediatria Clinica (LIM36), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Introduction: Chemokines and their receptors are essential for leukocyte migration to several tissues, including human milk. Here, we evaluated the homing of T and B lymphocyte subsets to breast milk in response to ongoing respiratory infections in the nursing infant.

Methods: Blood and mature milk were collected from healthy mothers of nurslings with respiratory infections (Group I) and from healthy mothers of healthy nurslings (Group C).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cardiovascular complications in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus disease: a case report and literature review.

Front Pediatr

January 2025

Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education (MOE), West China Institute of Women and Children's Health, Key Laboratory of Development and Diseases of Women and Children of Sichuan Province, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatric Cardiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Background: Cardiovascular involvement is a rare but severe complication of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections. Patients with chronic active EBV (CAEBV) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications and have a poor prognosis. Here, we report the rare case of a pediatric patient with CAEBV and EBV- hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) complicated with a giant coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) and thrombosis, a giant Valsalva sinus aneurysm, and ascending aorta dilation seven years after the disease onset.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in neonates (MIS-N) is a rare condition thought to be associated with prenatal exposure to maternal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. This immune-mediated hyperinflammation has been described in neonates with multiorgan dysfunction, including cardiopulmonary, encephalopathy, coagulopathy, and vascular complications. However, renovascular complications in MIS-N are rare.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in pregnant women can lead to pyelonephritis and preterm birth. We assessed UTI prevalence, etiology, antimicrobial resistance, and associated risk factors among pregnant women receiving antenatal care in rural Amhara, Ethiopia. 604 pregnant women were screened for UTI at ≤ 24 weeks gestational age from August 2020 to June 2022.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The initial colonization of the infant gut is a complex process that defines the foundation for a healthy microbiome development. is one of the first colonizers of newborns' gut, playing a crucial role in the healthy development of both the host and its microbiome. However, exhibits significant genomic diversity, with subspecies ( subsp.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!