妊娠并發癥可能增加自閉癥風險

　　【中國孤獨癥資源網報道】Complications during pregnancy may increase the risk of having a child with autism, according to American researchers.

　　美國研究人員指出懷孕時的并發癥有可能會增加孩子患上自閉癥的風險。

　　The team reviewed 64 studies of prenatal risk factors for autism. It is the first time a meta-analysis of the relationship between pregnancy-related factors and risk of autism has been carried out. The analysis is published in the July issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

　　研究小組審查了關于導致孩子自閉癥的產前危險因素共64個研究報告。他們審查的結果在英國精神病學雜志發表。

　　Over 50 prenatal factors were examined. The researchers found that the factors most strongly associated with an increased autism risk are:

　　- Being born to an older mother or father.

　　- Having a mother who was born abroad.

　　- Having a mother who experienced bleeding during pregnancy.

　　- Having a mother who experienced gestational diabetes.

　　- Having a mother who used medication during pregnancy.

　　- Being the first born - or later born in families where there are three or more children.

　　他們對超過50個產前因素進行了研究。研究人員發現以下幾個因素與自閉癥有最強的關系：

　　Ø         父母年齡比較大

　　Ø         母親不是本地人

　　Ø         母親在懷孕的時候有出血的現象

　　Ø         母親患有妊娠糖尿病

　　Ø         母親在懷孕的時候使用藥物

　　Ø         是家中首個孩子，或者是當家中已經有超過3個以上的孩子后所生的孩子。

　　The researchers put forward possible explanations for these risk factors. For example, increased maternal age may be associated with autism because of a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in eggs.

　　這個研究對這幾個因素進行了進一步的解釋。例如，隨著年齡的增長，卵子更有可能產生染色體的異常，從而導致自閉癥。

　　Mothers who are born in another country may not have natural resistance to infections in the country where they give birth, which may increase the risk for autism. Moving to another country may also put women under stress, which could increase their chances of having a child who develops autism.

　　母親在其他國家出生可能會對她們生孩子的國家的一些感染沒有天然的抵抗力，從而增加了孩子患有自閉癥的風險。搬去另一個國家同樣有可能增加女性的壓力，從而增加了她們生的孩子會患上自閉癥的可能性。

　　Bleeding during pregnancy, gestational diabetes and medication use are also associated with increased autism risk. Bleeding can cause foetal hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain of an unborn child). Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy experience hormonal and metabolic changes, which may affect their baby's health and development. Foetal development may also be affected by some medications which can cross the placenta during pregnancy.

　　懷孕期間流血，妊娠糖尿病和藥物都和增加自閉癥的風險有關系。出血會導致胎兒腦缺氧。妊娠糖尿病所引起的荷爾蒙和心神代謝的改變會影響胎兒的健康和成長。母親用藥會通過胎盤影響到胎兒。

　　The association between birth order and autism risk is unclear. However, children with autism are more likely to be the first-born in families with only two children. In larger families with three or more children, they are more likely to be born later. It is possible that parents decide not to have more children after one has developed autism.

　　孩子出生的次序與自閉癥的聯系不是非常清楚。但是，如果家里有2個孩子的，通常第一個孩子更容易會是自閉癥。在有很多孩子（3個以上）的家庭，自閉癥的孩子通常是比較后出生的。這個也有可能是當有一個自閉癥的孩子出生后，家長決定不再繼續生孩子。

　　The researchers said there was "insufficient evidence" to point to any one prenatal factor as being particularly significant. However, writing in theBritish Journal of Psychiatry, they said: "There is some evidence to suggest that exposure to pregnancy complications in general may increase the risk of autism."

　　研究人員稱他們并沒有足夠的證據去把自閉癥的風險指向任何一個妊娠中的因素。不過，在英國精神病學雜志中他們寫到：“還是有一些證據表明懷孕期間的并發癥一般來說還是會增加嬰兒患有自閉癥的風險的?！?/p>

　　Reference:

　　"Prenatal risk factors for autism: comprehensive meta-analysis"

　　Gardener H, Spiegelman D and Buka SL (2009)

　　British Journal of Psychiatry, 195: 7-14