Study Links Common Pregnancy Medications to Increased Autism Risk in U.S. Children
A study conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center has found a significant 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 U.S. births from 2014 to 2023. The study identified that drugs disrupting cholesterol production pathways, including some antidepressants and statins, were associated with higher ASD rates. Pregnant individuals prescribed at least one of these medications had a 1.47 times higher likelihood of having a child with ASD, with the risk increasing with the number of medications used. 
