Correlation analysis of maternal condition during pregnancy with head circumference and autism spectrum disorder: A propensity score-matched study

Abstract

To determine whether health status during pregnancy is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and abnormal head circumference (HC) in the offspring. This study included 41 Han children with ASD who visited the Children’s Health Clinic of the Second Hospital of Shandong University between March 2018 and February 2019, and 264 Han children with typical development (TD) who visited the clinic during the same period. Physical measurements were performed on the children. The questionnaire obtained information on maternal risk factors that may be related to the increased risk of ASD and folic acid (FA) supplementation. We designed an observational case–control study using propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The incidence of macrocephaly in the ASD group was 22.0%, significantly higher than that in the TD group (1.8%). The incidence of microcephaly in the ASD group was 17.1% (n = 7), significantly higher than that in the TD group (1.8%). The differences between the comparisons were statistically significant. Maternal FA supplementation during pregnancy was significantly associated with ASD (P < .05), with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval of 3.69 (1.76, 7.76)). Also was associated with macrocephaly (P < .05), odds ratio (95% confidence interval) were 8.13 (1.63, 40.61) and 4.16 (1.18, 14.60), respectively. The incidence of abnormal HC was higher in the ASD group than that in the TD group. Maternal FA supplementation during pregnancy may be negatively associated with the occurrence of ASD and abnormal HC in the offspring. Further examination of the role of maternal health status in the etiology of ASD is recommended.