Maternal PCOS can raise the risk of autism in children - By Dr. Tracy McAlvanah
Researchers have discovered that polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS is linked with an almost 60 percent greater risk of giving birth to a child who will develop an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As many as one in ten women of childbearing age have PCOS, a hormonal disorder, and it can affect girls as young as 11. It is the most common female hormone imbalance in the United States. Although the exact link between maternal PCOS and autism isn’t clear, the findings support the notion that sex hormones early in life play a role in the development of autism in both boys and girls. PCOS exposes the developing fetus to excess androgens, hormones that play a role in male traits. These androgens are believed to affect the development of the brain and central nervous system, increasing the risk of an ASD. In the study, researchers looked at children ages 4 to 17 who were born in Sweden between 1984 and 2007. They found that a maternal diagnosis of PCOS increased the risk of h...