Maternal and early postnatal antibiotic exposure may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder with regression.

This study looked at 483 children with autism to see if antibiotics taken during pregnancy or early childhood might be linked to regression (losing skills they once had). Children who experienced regression were more likely to have been exposed to antibiotics during pregnancy (10.3% vs 2.9%) or before age 2 (44.0% vs 33.1%). The research suggests antibiotic use during these critical periods might increase the chances of regression and more severe autism symptoms, though more research is needed to understand this connection.

This case-control study of 483 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) examined associations between antibiotic exposure and autism regression patterns. Children were categorized into ASD with regression (ASD-R) and without regression (ASD-NR) groups. The ASD-R group showed significantly higher rates of maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy (10.3% vs 2.9%) and early postnatal antibiotic exposure before age 2 (44.0% vs 33.1%). Maternal antibiotic exposure was associated with 3.36 times higher odds of regression (adjusted OR), while early postnatal exposure showed 1.50 times higher odds.

Both exposure periods were also associated with more severe autism symptoms on the Autism Behavior Checklist. The findings suggest antibiotic exposure during critical developmental periods may influence regression patterns in autism.

Findings suggest clinicians should carefully weigh benefits and risks of antibiotic use during pregnancy and early childhood, particularly for families with autism risk factors. However, necessary antibiotic treatment should not be avoided. Further research is needed to establish causality and underlying mechanisms before changing clinical practice.

The study design (likely retrospective case-control based on questionnaires) may be subject to recall bias. Causal relationships cannot be established. The mechanism linking antibiotic exposure to regression is unclear, and potential confounding factors are not fully addressed in the abstract.

To analyze if exposure to antibiotics during maternal pregnancy and early postnatal period increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder with regression (ASD-R). A total of 483 children with ASD were categorized into ASD-R and ASD without regression (ASD-NR) groups. The caregivers of children completed questionnaires regarding use of antibiotics during maternal pregnancy and early postnatal period. There were significantly higher proportions of antibiotic exposure during maternal pregnancy and before age of 2 in the ASD-R group (10.3 % and 44.0 %) compared to the ASD-NR group (2.9 % and 33.1 %).

Children with ASD and maternal antibiotic exposure had a higher likelihood of experiencing regression compared to those without exposure (unadjusted OR = 3.81, 95 %CI: 1.67-8.68; adjusted OR = 3.36, 95 %CI: 1.44-7.8). Also, children with ASD who were exposed to antibiotics during early postnatal period had a higher risk of regression, as opposed to those who were not exposed (unadjusted OR = 1.59, 95 % CI 1.08-2.32; adjusted OR = 1.50, 95 % CI 1.01-2.21). Both maternal and early postnatal antibiotic exposure were associated with certain dimensions and total scores of the ABC. The ASD-R group had higher rates of antibiotic exposure during both maternal pregnancy and the early postnatal period compared to the ASD-NR group.

Maternal and early postnatal antibiotic exposure may be risk factors for regression in children with ASD. Children with ASD who were exposed to antibiotics during maternal pregnancy or the early postnatal period may have more severe core symptoms than those without such history of exposure.