Mom's job may be linked to child's odds of having autism
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that a mother's occupation before, during, and after pregnancy may influence the likelihood of her child being diagnosed with autism, particularly in high-stress or toxic exposure jobs.
- Analysis of Danish data found children of mothers working in military, ground transportation, and judicial roles had a 59%, 24%, and 59% higher prevalence of autism respectively, after adjusting for various factors.
- Researchers propose that workplace exposures such as lead, exhaust fumes, and industrial solvents, as well as stress-related inflammation during pregnancy, could contribute to these increased autism risks.
- No significant autism risk links were found for mothers in agriculture, air transportation, chemical processing, or cleaning services after adjustments, and some experts caution that small sample sizes and unaccounted factors may limit the study’s conclusions.
- Experts advise women not to avoid certain careers based on this study alone, emphasizing the importance of job satisfaction and noting that further research is needed to clarify specific occupational risks.