Associations of Maternal Androgen-Related Conditions With Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Progeny and Mediation by Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Fertility Factors.

ABSTRACT: Fetal exposure to elevated androgens is thought to contribute to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk. However, data rely heavily on in utero androgens measurements, which also reflect fetal secretions. Thus, in utero hyperandrogenemia might indicate adverse autism-related neurogenesis that has already occurred affecting fetal androgen homeostasis, rather than being a cause of the disorder. Associations between maternal androgen-related conditions and ASD could more directly implicate androgens' etiological role. We examined the association between maternal hyperandrogenemia-related conditions, focusing primarily on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and progeny ASD, in an Israeli cohort of 437,222 children born in 1999-2013. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using ge

SUBMITTER: Rotem RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8024051 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature