Authors:
Whitehouse AJO; Holt BJ; Serralha M; Holt PG; Hart PH; Kusel MMH
Authors notes:
Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2013:online
Keywords:
Autism spectrum disorder, Autistic-like traits, Environment, Pregnancy, Prenatal, Vitamin D
Abstract:
We tested whether maternal vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy is related to the autism phenotype.
Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations of 929 women were measured at 18 weeks' pregnancy.
The mothers of the three children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder had 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations above the population mean.
The offspring of 406 women completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient in early adulthood. Maternal 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations were unrelated to offspring scores on the majority of scales.
However, offspring of mothers with low 25(OH)-vitamin D concentrations (<49 nmol/L) were at increased risk for 'high' scores (≥2SD above mean) on the Attention Switching subscale.
The involvement of maternal vitamin D during pregnancy in autism requires continued investigation.