A Clinical Study to Evaluate Maternal and Obstetric Factors Contributing to the Etiopathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Code-T0047)

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with multifactorial etiology, including genetic, environmental, maternal, and obstetric influences. Maternal and obstetric factors during pregnancy and delivery may play a critical role in the risk and severity of ASD.

Aims and Objectives:

1. To study the association between Preconception and/or prenatal factors and development of Autism Spectrum Disorder viz Nutrition-Iron and Folic acid supplementation, Smoking, Alcohol, Maternal diabetes and Pregnancy Induced Hypertension.
2. To study the association between exposure of maternal TORCH infection to the foetus in-utero and development of ASD in children.
3. To assess the association between peripartum events and development of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) .
4. The study the association between first contact with mother and breastfeeding with the development of ASD in children.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted involving 150 children diagnosed with ASD and 150 neurotypical controls matched by age and gender. Data on maternal health, obstetric history, prenatal exposures, and delivery outcomes were collected through medical records and structured interviews. Statistical analyses were performed to determine associations between these factors and ASD diagnosis.

Results: Maternal factors such as advanced maternal age (p < 0.01), gestational diabetes (p = 0.02), and infections during pregnancy (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with an increased risk of ASD. Obstetric complications, including preterm birth (p = 0.01), low birth weight (p = 0.02), and prolonged labor (p = 0.03), also showed strong correlations. Multivariate analysis confirmed the independent contribution of these factors to ASD risk.

Conclusion: Maternal and obstetric factors play a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. Early identification and management of high-risk pregnancies could potentially mitigate the risk of ASD. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and explore underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, maternal factors, obstetric complications, neurodevelopment, prenatal risk, etiopathogenesis