Maternal exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution during pregnancy increases offspring risk of autism spectrum disorder.

This study of 1,501 families in China found that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy increases the risk of autism in children. Both indoor pollution (like from cooking or smoking) and outdoor pollution (from traffic and industry) were linked to higher autism rates. The risk was 28-72% higher depending on the type of pollution. This suggests that cleaner air during pregnancy might help reduce autism risk.

This multi-center study examined the relationship between prenatal air pollution exposure and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk in 1,501 participants across 8 Chinese regions. Using high-resolution air pollution datasets and validated indoor air pollution indices, researchers employed multilevel logistic regression models controlling for sociodemographic, maternal health, and behavioral factors. Results demonstrated significant positive associations between ASD risk and indoor air pollution (OR: 1.69), outdoor ozone (OR: 1.54), carbon monoxide (OR: 1.72), and nitrogen compounds (OR: 1.28). The study provides evidence for exposure-response relationships between both indoor and outdoor prenatal air pollution exposure and increased offspring ASD risk, highlighting the need for air pollution control measures and targeted public health interventions.

Findings suggest importance of air quality interventions during pregnancy for ASD prevention. Clinicians should discuss air pollution exposure with pregnant patients. Public health policies targeting air quality improvement may reduce population ASD risk. Indoor air quality modifications during pregnancy may be beneficial.

Study limited to Chinese population which may limit generalizability. Cross-sectional design cannot establish definitive causation. Specific methodology for indoor air pollution measurement not detailed. Potential unmeasured confounders may influence results. Long-term follow-up data not provided.

The impact of indoor and outdoor air pollution during pregnancy on offspring ASD risk remains under-investigated. This multi-center study aimed to assess the impact of both indoor and ambient air pollution on offspring ASD risk. We recruited 1501 participants from child healthcare department across 8 representative regions of China. High-resolution air pollution datasets and a well-validated indoor air pollution index were utilized to estimate prenatal outdoor and indoor air pollution exposure.

Multilevel logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the above relationships after controlling for confounding factors including socio-economic and demographic variables, maternal health and behavioral factors. An adverse outcome pathway framework was constructed to explore underlying biological mechanisms. The results showed that indoor air pollution index exhibited a significant positive correlation with the risk of ASD (OR: 1.69, 95 % CI: [1.25, 2.27]). As for outdoor air pollutants, across the three models, the occurrence of ASD was positively correlated with O(OR: 1.54, 95 % CI: [1.16, 2.03]) and CO (OR: 1.72, 95 % CI: [1.40, 2.12]).

For NO, the results from Model 3 indicated a significant association with the occurrence of ASD (OR: 1.28, 95 % CI: [1.08, 1.52]). This study provides robust evidence of the detrimental effects of prenatal exposure to both indoor and outdoor air pollution on offspring ASD risk, with significant exposure-response relationships. These findings underscore the urgency of implementing air pollution control measures, and targeted public health interventions to mitigate ASD risk.