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Last Edited: 9/16/09
Antenatal Ultrasound and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Written:
09/01/09
Since being introduced into obstetrical care in the 1970s, antenatal ultrasound examinations have become widely accepted in obstetrical practice as a routine, non-invasive tool for determining the size, location, number, and age of fetuses, and for detecting fetal malformations and intrauterine growth retardation. We evaluated antenatal ultrasound (U/S) exposure as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), comparing affected singleton children and control children born 1995-1999 and enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente health care system. This study indicates that antenatal U/S is unlikely to increase the risk of ASD, although studies examining ASD subgroups remain to be conducted.
Suggested Citation
- Autism