MONDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) — Modest weight gain during
pregnancy might be a sign for autism risk among newborns, new research
suggests.
Investigators took pains to stress that it is not weight gain itself
that is being tagged as a cause of autism. Nor do the current findings
reflect in any way on how pre-pregnancy weight might affect the future
offspring of mothers-to-be.
Instead, the study team believes that a small rise in weight
occurring while pregnant might be an indication that some broad and
complex process — perhaps involving hormone and inflammation
irregularities — is underway, of which weight gain is a reflection.
If so, then weight gain during pregnancy might serve as an easily
recognizable marker for a constellation of events that collectively
increase the risk for autism.
“Although weight gain during pregnancy was associated with autism
risk, the modest difference in weight gain found suggests that weight
gain serves as a marker rather than a cause for autism,” said study lead
author Dr. Deborah Bilder, a pediatrician and assistant professor in
the department of psychiatry at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake
City.
“As a marker, it would share an underlying cause with autism, such as hormone imbalance or inflammation,” Bilder added.
he study was published online Oct. 28 and in the November print issue of the journal Pediatrics.
The authors said that, unlike in the past, autism is no longer deemed
to be a rare disorder, with estimates suggesting that some form of
autism affects about one in 88 children in the United States.
Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disabilities that
can range from mild to more severe. Children with autism display social
problems, communication difficulties, and restricted and repetitive
patterns of behavior.
For their study, the team focused on two groups of children with autism in Utah.
The first group included 128 children, while the second included 288
children. Maternal weight-gain patterns during pregnancy were analyzed
in both groups. The first group’s results were stacked up against those
of nearly 11,000 mothers of healthy children of a similar age and
gender. The second group’s results were compared against maternal weight
gains leading up to the birth of each autistic child’s healthy
siblings.
Small increases in weight — in 5-pound increments — while pregnant
were linked to a slightly higher but significant risk for autism among
the offspring. By contrast, body-mass index (a measurement of body fat
based on height and weight) at the start of pregnancy was not associated
with a higher risk for autism.
There was an average difference of only about 3 pounds in weight gain
when comparing mothers of children with and without autism, the study
found.
Bilder reiterated that when it comes to autism risk, weight gain
during pregnancy should not be seen as the culprit but rather the canary
in the coal mine. She cautioned against any dietary changes based on
the findings.
“Good nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy,” Bilder said.
“Clear guidelines are in place that pregnant women can discuss with
their medical providers regarding the recommended weight gain for a
healthy pregnancy. This study was not designed to impact these
guidelines, but rather to provide future direction to researchers as we
investigate possible causes that link risk factors with autism.”
On that score, Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and
behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, in
New Hyde Park, said that, unlike previous research, the current
investigation shines light on the risk associated with weight gain
during pregnancy, rather than before pregnancy.
“The fact that there is a modestly increased risk of autism in
pregnancies associated with extra weight gain provides pregnant women
with one more reason to be mindful of their weight gain during
pregnancy,” he said.
“Although it is unclear why there is an increased incidence of autism
born to mothers who gained more weight during their pregnancy,
hopefully [this study] will provide yet another clue to aid researchers
in their quest to better understand what causes autism,” Adesman said.
Aderemi & Angela the new wives u must read this too
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