WeeklySA_AdminINFLUENCE: Mothers exposed to toxic chemicals, exhaust fumes or high workplace stress before and during pregnancy may face a higher likelihood of having children diagnosed with autism, a study has found…
By Own Correspondent
A major Danish study has found that women working in occupations linked to toxic chemical exposure, combustion fumes and high stress before and during pregnancy may face a greater likelihood of having children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The findings, published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, add to growing evidence that environmental and occupational factors may influence neurodevelopment long before a child is born.
ASD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition associated with challenges in social communication and repetitive or restricted patterns of behaviour.
Researchers analysed data from 1 702 children diagnosed with ASD and compared them with more than 108,000 controls born in Denmark between 1973 and 2012. The study examined the mothers’ occupations from one year before conception through pregnancy and early infancy.
The mothers’ work histories were obtained from Denmark’s national pension registry and grouped into seven occupational categories. Researchers also accounted for factors such as maternal age, smoking during pregnancy, socioeconomic status and a history of neuropsychiatric disorders.
The study found that mothers employed in military or defence-related occupations before or during pregnancy had a 59% higher likelihood of having a child diagnosed with ASD.
Women working in ground transportation jobs, where exposure to exhaust fumes and combustion products is common, were found to have a 24% increased likelihood of having a child with ASD.
Researchers also identified elevated risks among women employed in the judicial sector, where high workplace stress may play a role. Mothers working in judicial occupations before conception and during pregnancy were also associated with a 59% higher likelihood of ASD in offspring.
The associations were strongest for occupations held before conception and during pregnancy, although the links weakened during the child’s infancy.
Researchers suggested that defence-related occupations may expose women to multiple hazards, including lead from artillery handling, industrial solvents and exhaust fumes.
Similarly, transportation workers may face prolonged exposure to particulate matter and air pollution.
The study also highlighted workplace stress as a possible contributing factor. According to researchers, chronic stress during pregnancy may trigger inflammation and other biological changes that could affect fetal brain development.
However, the researchers stressed that the study was observational and does not prove cause and effect.
The study did not find significant links between ASD and maternal employment in agriculture, chemical processing or cleaning services after adjusting for other factors.
Researchers acknowledged limitations, including the lack of detailed information about specific job tasks or direct exposure measurements. They also cautioned that the findings may not necessarily apply outside Denmark.
Still, the researchers concluded that maternal occupations involving frequent exposure to toxicants, combustion products and high stress “could contribute to neurodevelopmental risk” and called for further research into which specific workplace exposures may have the greatest impact on autism risk in children. – Science X
