Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41540201›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2026

Prenatal and birth factors associated with child autism diagnosis: a birth cohort perspective.

Lada Holland, Katherine Drummond, Sarah Thomson, Luba Sominsky, Wolfgang Marx, Chloe Love, Samantha L Dawson, Leonard C Harrison, Richard Saffery, Christos Symeonides and 6 more

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Article in Pediatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Lada HollandThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Katherine DrummondThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Sarah ThomsonThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Luba SominskyChild Health Research Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Wolfgang MarxInstitute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Chloe LoveChild Health Research Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Samantha L DawsonInstitute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Leonard C HarrisonWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Richard SafferyMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Christos SymeonidesMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Mimi Lk TangMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
David BurgnerMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Peter D SlyChildren's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Peter VuillerminChild Health Research Unit, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Anne-Louise PonsonbyThe Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. annelouise.ponsonby@florey.edu.au.
BIS Investigator group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAutism spectrum disorder (autism) describes a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental phenotype arising from the interplay of environmental and genetic factors in early life.

methodsIn a general population birth cohort, we employed a scoping approach to identify prospective associations between prenatal and birth factors and a subsequent autism diagnosis.

resultsFactors associated with increased likelihood of autism included those related to i) maternal health (maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index, pre-existing maternal mental health conditions, maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) ii) environmental exposures (maternal passive tobacco smoke exposure, and exposure to vinyl floors) iii) demographic factors (socioeconomic disadvantage). Factors associated with a decreased likelihood of autism included maternal dietary nutrition and supplementation (higher folic acid, magnesium, and iron, as well as adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines).

conclusionOur findings extend the evidence that autism may have a multifactorial origin in early life. Further studies should explore the composite effects of these prenatal and birth factors on autism outcomes via shared biological pathways, such as inflammation, and oxidative stress, in concert with genetic predisposition. IMPACT: Autism spectrum disorder (autism) is a multifactorial condition. Here we report on multiple prenatal environmental, demographic, maternal and pregnancy factors that are associated with an increased likelihood of an autism diagnosis. For example, adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines during pregnancy is linked to a reduced likelihood of autism in the offspring, consistent with mounting evidence that prenatal nutrition impacts brain development. We examine how the multiple risk factors, identified by our comprehensive approach, may be linked to shared biological mechanisms. Future work should examine composite exposure measures acting through shared mechanisms as a more productive approach to understanding aetiology than focusing solely on individual exposures.

Identifiers

PMID41540201

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.