Study Links Common Pregnancy Drugs to Increased Autism Risk in Children
A significant study conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has revealed a potential link between the use of certain medications during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The research, published in Molecular Psychiatry, analyzed 6.14 million maternal-child health records from the Epic Cosmos database, covering nearly one-third of all U.S. births from 2014 to 2023. The study focused on medications that inhibit the cholesterol synthesis pathway, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, beta-blockers, and statins. These medications, known as sterol biosynthesis–inhibiting medications (SBIMs), were associated with a 1.47-fold higher risk of ASD in children when prescribed during pregnancy. The risk increased with the number of SBIMs prescribed, reaching a 2.33-fold risk when four or more were used simultaneously.