Is Stress During Pregnancy Linked To Autism?
There is new light being shed on Autism. Scientists are now linking stress during pregnancy to the disorder. Dr. Kevin Soden has more. We’ve known for years that what a woman eats and drinks during pregnancy can affect her unborn baby. But there is new evidence now that suggests how she feels during pregnancy… can impact the baby, too. Researchers at the Ohio State University Medical Center say there may be evidence that women who have very stressful pregnancies may be more likely to have babies with autism. Researchers looked at nearly 500 cases and found that women who had very traumatic experiences during pregnancy were more likely to have children with autism. DR. DAVID BEVERSDORF, OHIO STATE MEDICAL CENTER: “THEY ARE THINGS LIKE DEATH OF A SPOUSE, MAJOR ILLNESS OF A FAMILY MEMBER, LOSING A JOB, VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT.” But it wasn’t just what happened during the woman’s pregnancy…. when it happened was significant, too. Researchers found the women who have autistic children
