ABSTRACT
Globalization and women empowerment have led to stressful life among Indian women. This stress impairs women’s hormonal makeup and menstrual cycle, leading to infertility. National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3) reports a decline in fertility status in India, indicating a rise in various infertility treatments involving hormonal interventions. No studies are available from India on the risk association link between maternal hormonal treatments and ASD. Hence, this study explores the association of maternal hormonal interventions with risk for ASD. Parents of 942 children (471 ASD and 471 controls) across 9 cities in India participated in the questionnaire-based study. The questionnaire was pilot tested and validated for its content and reliability as a psychometric instrument. Data collection was done at 70 centres through direct interaction with parents and with the help of trained staff. Statistical analysis of data was carried out using SAS 9.1.3. Out of the 471 ASD cases analysed, 58 mothers had undergone hormonal interventions (12.3%) while there were only 22 mothers among controls who underwent hormonal interventions (4.6%). According to logistic regression analysis maternal hormonal intervention (OR=2.24) was a significant risk factor for ASD.
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Acknowledgements
Preliminary results from this work were presented at the European Human Genetics Conference, 28– 31 May, 2011, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstracts are published in the European Journal of Human Genetics, volume 19, supplement 2, May 2011. This research was completely funded by University Grants Commission, India. We would also like to extend our acknowledgements to the Department of Science and Technology, India, for funding with Inspire fellowship. We would like to thank Dr M Gowri Devi, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Niloufer Hospital, for permitting data collection. Our extended appreciation to Mr Shankaran, Mr CN Rahul, Ms N Geetanjali and Mr S Kalidasan for helping us in the collection of control questionnaires. Our sincere gratitude to various Autism schools, therapy centres and organizations in India, for extending their support to our data collection and to carry out the research successfully.
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[Mamidala MP, Polinedi A, Praveen Kumar PTV, Rajesh N, Vallamkonda OSR, Udani V, Singhal N and Rajesh V 2013 Maternal hormonal interventions as a risk factor for Autism Spectrum Disorder: An epidemiological assessment from India. J. Biosci. 38 1–6] DOI
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Mamidala, M.P., Polinedi, A., Kumar, P.P. et al. Maternal hormonal interventions as a risk factor for Autism Spectrum Disorder: An epidemiological assessment from India. J Biosci 38, 887–892 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9376-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9376-x