Link between herpes in pregnancy and autism is unconfirmed

Conclusion This was a Norwegian case-control study that looked at whether maternal infections during pregnancy are associated with the risk of neurological developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in their children. The study initially found no association between any of the pathogens during pregnancy or after delivery, and the development of ASD in boys or girls. Further investigations suggested that high levels of HSV-2 virus antibodies during mid-pregnancy were associated with increased risk of the development of ASD in boys. The researchers suggest that the suspected risk of ASD associated with high levels of virus is not down to the HSV-2 virus itself but the impact of inflammation and the subsequent activation of the immune system on child development during pregnancy However, while this finding has been widely reported in the media, it is based on just 14 women so is not reliable. Performing repeated unplanned analyses is bound to come up with some association in the end through sheer chance. It is important that pregnant women do take precautions to prevent herpes infection during pregnancy, especially the third trimester, as there is a risk of passing the virus on to the baby. More research would be needed to confirm the speculations that herpes infection during pregnancy can increase the risk of autistic spectrum disorder.   Links To The Headlines Pregnant women infected with herpes are ‘TWICE as likely to have a baby with autism’. T...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Pregnancy/child Neurology Mental health Source Type: news