Health News

A Pregnancy Dilemma for a Medication?
Some medications are linked to disorders such as autism or to birth defects when taken during pregnancy. However, that risk must also be balanced against the medication's benefits.
Autism Risk May Be Buried in the Past
The causes of autism increasingly appear to come from a variety of different risk factors. One of those risk factors may be related to the childhood experiences of the children's mothers.
Mom’s Inflammation Linked to Autism
Past research has shown that autism risk was higher when mothers were sick during pregnancy. New research sheds some light on how illness might be affecting autism risk.
A Medication Risk Factor for Autism
There is no known single cause for autism. However, certain diseases or medications during pregnancy have been linked to autism. One culprit may be a medication used to treat epilepsy.
Folic Acid May Protect Against Autism
Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy may help lower the risk of some birth defects. Researchers wanted to know if folic acid was linked to autism in any way.
Does Car Pollution Relate to Autism?
With the increase in cases of autism, researchers are constantly looking for possible causes of the condition. A new study looks at whether air pollution from traffic might play a role.
Autism Link to Flu in Pregnancy is Weak
Getting sick while pregnant may make expectant moms feel even more ill at ease. Will the illness affect your child? Can it increase his or her risk of autism? So far, it seems unlikely.
Does Folic Acid Lower the Risk of Autism?
Researchers report a link between autism and folic acid intake during pregnancy, but the link may be weak.
Mom’s Fevers Linked to Child’s Autism
Risk of autism may be increased by untreated fevers during pregnancy.  A recent study found that mothers who had a fever during pregnancy had increased risk of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ).
Smoking While Pregnant & Autism Not Linked
As the search continues for environmental factors that may contribute to the increasing autism cases, researchers are looking in every nook and cranny for possible associations.