Study suggests prenatal exposure to medications increases autism risk
Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) published a landmark study in the scientific journal, Molecular Psychiatry. The study found a significantly increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children when their mothers were prescribed at least one of a group of commonly used medications during pregnancy.
The researchers looked at 6.14 million health records from mothers and their children across the United States. These studies included about one out of every three births between 2014 and 2023.
They found certain medications known to inhibit the cholesterol production pathway when taken during pregnancy were consistently associated with higher rates of ASD in children.
Read the full news release.
Images of Coauthors
- Eric Peeples, MD, PhD
- Károly Mirnics, MD, PhD
- Jerrod Anzalone, PhD
- Ran Dai, PhD, MS
- Elizabeth Reisher, MS
- Zeljka Korade, DVM, PhD
Requestable Video Q&As
Below is a list of video Q&As the media can request.
- How common is autism spectrum disorder?
- What are the main findings of this study?
- Are these medications often prescribed in pregnancy?
- I am planning to become pregnant, and I am taking one of these medications. Should I discontinue them?
- I was taking one or more of these medications during pregnancy. Now my child has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Was this the cause?
- What should physicians and parents take away from these findings?
- Does it matter when in pregnancy I took the medicine? Does the timing change the risk?
- I didn’t take these medications during pregnancy, but I am nursing and taking one or more. Is it safe to continue taking this medication?
- I did not take these medications while pregnant, but I’ve taken them in the past. Does this increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder in my children?
- Why didn’t anyone tell me about this risk?
- How big is the risk of autism for my child if I take these medications during pregnancy?
