Proximity of Maternal Time of Immigration to Child's Birth Is Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder With Early Learning Delay Among Immigrant Populations in the United States: Findings From the Study to Explore Early Development.

This study looked at whether the timing of when mothers immigrated to the US affects their children's chances of having autism or learning delays. Researchers found that children were more likely to have autism with learning delays or learning delays alone when their mothers had immigrated closer to when they were born. This suggests that stresses or exposures that immigrant mothers experience around pregnancy might affect their children's development.

This case-control study examined 1,048 US-born children with non-US-born parents to investigate the relationship between timing of parental immigration and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) outcomes. The study categorized children into ASD without early learning delay (ELD), ASD with ELD, and ELD alone, comparing them to population controls. Key findings showed that among children with non-US-born mothers, closer proximity between maternal immigration timing and child's birth was associated with increased odds of ASD with ELD and ELD alone. No significant association was found for ASD without ELD or among children with non-US-born fathers only.

The research suggests time-varying exposures during the perinatal period among immigrant mothers may influence neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring.

Findings suggest recently immigrated mothers may benefit from enhanced perinatal support services. Healthcare providers should consider immigration history when assessing developmental risk factors. Results highlight need for culturally sensitive prenatal care and early intervention screening for children of recent immigrant mothers.

Study design (case-control) limits causal inference. Specific mechanisms underlying the immigration-timing relationship remain unclear. Sample characteristics and potential confounding factors are not fully described in the abstract.

Our objective was to examine the relationship between the timing of parental US immigration and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without early learning delay (ELD), ASD with ELD, and ELD alone among US-born children. We analyzed data from a multi-site case-control study that recruited children aged 2-5 years with ASD or non-ASD developmental disorders and same-age population controls. Parental demographics were collected from caregivers at study enrollment. Mullen Scales of Early Learning ≤ 70 was used to define ELD.

Among children with a non-US-born parent (N = 1048), we used multinomial logistic regression to examine time from parental immigration to the child's birth in relation to ASD alone, ASD with ELD (ASD + ELD), and ELD alone compared to population controls. Having a non-US-born mother (regardless of the father's birthplace) versus a non-US-born father only was evaluated as a potential effect modifier. Among those with a non-US-born mother, closer proximity of maternal time of immigration to the child's birth is associated with increased odds for ASD + ELD and ELD alone. There was no significant association between years since US arrival and ASD alone.

Among those with a non-US-born father only, we did not observe a significant relationship between time since paternal US arrival and ASD/ELD categories. Our study suggests that time-varying exposures among immigrant mothers may be of importance for the development of ASD + ELD and ELD alone in the offspring. These results may inform research into the etiology of ASD and ELD and ways to support immigrant women of childbearing age.