Catching flu when pregnant ‘raises the risk of the child having autism by up to 40 per cent’
Researchers from the US believe they have found a link between pregnant women catching the flu and their child developing autism
CATCHING flu when pregnant raises the risk of your child having autism by up to 40 per cent, a study suggests.
Experts said the body’s response to an infection may affect unborn tots’ brains and trigger the condition and the risk grows with every illness suffered by an expectant mother.
Scientists found children were 312 per cent more likely to have autism if their mum had a fever three times during late pregnancy.
U.S. researchers at Columbia University followed more than 95,000 babies born in Norway between 1999 and 2009.
Autism risk increased by 34 per cent if their mother’s reported a fever at any time while expecting.
This went up to 40 per cent in the second trimester.
But the likelihood of kids having autism was slightly reduced if women took paracetamol when they felt unwell. It is commonly used to treat high temperatures.
MOST READ IN UK NEWS
Flu is the one of the most common causes of fever – and mums-to-be are offered a free NHS jab against the infection.
Lead researcher Mady Hornig, associate professor of Epidemiology and director of Translational Research at the Center for Infection and Immunity, said: “Our results suggest a role for gestational maternal infection and innate immune responses to infection in the onset of at least some cases of autism spectrum disorder.”
Around one in five U.S. mothers suffer a high temperature when pregnant.
The study is published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
Autism affects around 1 in 100 Brits – and causes problems with social communication and interaction. Fellow researcher Dr W. Ian Lipkin said: “Future work should focus on identifying and preventing prenatal infections and inflammatory responses that may contribute to autism spectrum disorder.”
Pregnant women are offered the flu jab on the NHS, and just under half took it up last year.
Dr Richard Pebody, Acting Head of Respiratory at Public Health England, said: “We strongly advise pregnant women to get the flu vaccine.
“It reduces the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and complications in pregnancy, as well as reducing the chance of the unborn or new born child getting flu.”
A major UK study last year found better communication from mums and dads helped kids beat autism for the first time.
We strongly advise pregnant women to get the flu vaccine.
Dr Richard Pebody, Acting Head of Respiratory at Public Health England
Previously, no treatment was shown to improve the condition.
But when experts taught parents how to boost communication with their autistic child the results were “remarkable”.
It coaxed kids out of their shells and reduced the hallmark symptoms of the disorder – such as poor social skills and repetitive behaviour.
The improvements were still evident six years on.