“IVF, Fertility Drugs Might Boost Autism Risk - Ethiopian Review” plus 1 more |
| IVF, Fertility Drugs Might Boost Autism Risk - Ethiopian Review Posted: 21 May 2010 07:07 AM PDT Children whose mothers took fertility drugs were almost twice as likely to have autism as other children, new research finds. Being conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) or born prematurely also seemed to up the risk of autism, according to another study. In the first study, researchers asked 111 women taking part in the Nurses' Health Study II who had a child with an autism spectrum disorder about their history of fertility problems and use of ovulation-inducing drugs, such as Clomid or gonadotropins. About 34 percent of moms with an autistic child had used fertility drugs compared to about 24 percent of some 3,900 mothers without an autistic child, the researchers found. Clomid and gonadotropins are often used as a first-line treatment for infertility, defined as trying for a year or longer to get pregnant without success, said lead study author Kristen Lyall, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. Nearly 47 percent of moms of autistic kids reported infertility, compared to about 33 percent of the other mothers, her team found. One caveat to those statistics is that older women are both more likely to have fertility problems and to take ovulation-inducing drugs, and prior research has shown older moms are also more likely to have autistic children. In the study, the median maternal age at the time the first child was born was 35, compared to about 25 for the general U.S. population, Lyall noted. Even so, when the age of the mother and pregnancy complications were taken into account — which can also heighten the risk of autism — women with infertility and who used ovulation drugs still had a twofold greater chance of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder. The absolute risk for any one mother to have a child with autism remained relatively low, the authors noted. In the study, about 4 percent of mothers who took fertility drugs had a child with an autism spectrum disorder, compared to about 2 percent of moms who didn't take fertility drugs. Still, "we found that a history of infertility and use of ovulation-inducing drugs was significantly associated with an increased risk of having a children with an autism spectrum disorder," said Lyall, who noted that the findings are preliminary, involved a relatively small sample of women and needed to be confirmed by future research. The autism risk was less pronounced among younger mothers who took fertility drugs, Lyall added. Among women aged 25 to 34, about 3.1 percent who had infertility and took fertility drugs had an autistic child, compared to 2.6 percent of women in that age group who didn't. The study was to be presented on Thursday at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Philadelphia. Another study to be presented at the meeting, this time by Israeli researchers, found that in vitro fertilization and pre-term birth were both associated with an increased risk of autism in offspring. About 10.2 percent of 461 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder were conceived using IVF, while about 3.5 percent of children in the general Israeli population are conceived that way, according to the study. Moms who had IVF tended to be older, with a median age of 32.6 years compared to just under 31 years of age for mothers who didn't get IVF, the study authors noted. Nearly 4 percent of the kids with autism were born prematurely, while nearly 5 percent had a low birth weight, compared to about 1 percent in the general population. "Prematurity and low birth weight also adversely affect the child's functioning in adaptive skills," noted study lead author Dr. Ditza Zachor, who is director of the Autism Center at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center at Tel Aviv University. "This means that these two risk factors act as 'second hits' that affect the child more than just having autism." Zachor stressed that the findings are preliminary and more widespread research is needed. "This will give us the answer if these procedures carry any risk for the baby." So what does all this mean for couples struggling to conceive? Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, director of medical research at Kennedy Krieger Institute's Center for Autism and Related Disorders in Baltimore, said that women taking fertility drugs or undergoing IVF should not be unnecessarily alarmed. The vast majority of children conceived in this way will not end up with autism, and most children who have autism were not conceived using IVF or with the help of fertility drugs, he said. However, many physicians who work with kids with autism have remarked that lots of their patients seem to have been conceived via IVF. Prior to these studies, the observation was largely anecdotal, he said. "I don't think we are at a point yet where we can make recommendations, but we are getting to a point where we are beginning to understand there probably is a relationship," Zimmerman said. The reasons for the connection are not known, but it may be something about the process of in vitro fertilization, in which a sperm and egg are joined outside the womb, an embryo is created and implanted, or sometimes frozen and stored, then thawed for later use. Taking fertility drugs in early pregnancy could also contribute, Zimmerman said. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that's characterized by problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and restricted interests and behaviors. (Source: HealthDay News) Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Growing up with autism - Tuscaloosa News Posted: 23 May 2010 08:24 AM PDT The challenges that children with autism, a neurological disorder that is often characterized by impaired social interaction and communication face only become exacerbated with age. While most people with autism have problems developing social skills and interacting with others, adults with the disorder also face the challenges of acquiring health insurance, finding employment and navigating adult relationships. And despite an increasing public awareness of autism in children, adults with autism often have fewer resources and opportunities. At a first glance, 19-year-old Taylor Kerekes looked no different from his classmates at Paul W. Bryant High School. Kerekes, a theater enthusiast who has performed in school and community plays, struggles with Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder characterized by abnormalities of social interaction and communication often manifested in restricted and repetitive interests and behavior. The disorder proved to be something of a boon in school, because while it affected Kerekes' level of social awareness, it also provided him with a phenomenal memory and ability to memorize scripts of plays with relative ease. But Kerekes has been unable to find employment since graduating from high school, and he's not alone. According to the 2009 Current State of Services for Adults with Autism, an annual report released by the Organization for Autism Research, 74 percent of working-age adults with autism are unemployed but would like to work, and 84 percent of young adults with autism still live with their families. "There is nothing for kids with autism who are high functioning," said Kerekes' mother, Lin. Kerekes has volunteered at Barnes and Noble and Blockbuster through programs with the Alabama Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Arts 'N Autism, a local after-school program and summer camp that provides services to children and young adults with autism. But he has yet to find full-time employment. Corey Marbury, 20, also has autism. Marbury, who could read before he could talk, is interested in movies and can easily recite and act out scenes in movies and TV shows. At 6 feet tall, often with iPod earbuds and a baseball cap on his head, Marbury blends in physically with other young men his age, but his autism and the resulting dependence on routine and difficulty communicating with strangers keeps him apart, said his mother, Sharon Marbury. Her son prefers to spend most of his time alone and has few close friends. "He's in his own little world," Sharon said. "Routine is foremost, and if we get outside, he is lost. It messes up the full day." While the Marburys try to stick to a regular routine, they can't always protect their son from things that upset him, such as a baby's cry or a stranger's facial expressions. Sharon said that the severity of her son's reactions to certain stimuli has decreased over the years, due in large part to the family's commitment to maintaining a routine that will help him. Through Marbury's involvement with the Arts 'n Autism, he has been able to find employment and works four days a month at Park Manor in Northport. While Arts 'N Autism has offered services to children with autism since 2004, the program recently added a program for adults called Learning Independence for Further Education and Employment (LIFE) that offers job and life skills training in association with the Alabama Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Marbury's job gives him four days of work each month, but that hardly covers the cost of his care. Sharon Marbury said that while the family is grateful for the help that Arts 'N Autism provides to families impacted by autism, her son also requires physician and outpatient services, prescription medication, behavioral therapy and non-medical costs such as special education, camps and other services. According to the article, "Autism Has High Costs to U.S. Society" published by the Harvard School of Public Health, the annual cost of caring for and treating people with autism is estimated to cost between $35 billion and $50 billion and doesn't include the costs of alternative therapies and out-of-pocket expenses that families themselves must cover. The article also found that autism can also result in lost productivity and lower income for families because they must take time off to care for individuals with autism. In Alabama, the cost of autism care is a challenge for many families, since health insurance providers aren't required to provide insurance to individuals with autism. While 18 states have passed legislation required coverage for medically necessary treatments for autism spectrum disorders, Alabama isn't one of them. "Alabama is behind the curve in providing insurance coverage for individuals with ASD," said Caroline Gomez, the state autism coordinator with the Alabama Department of Mental Health. State Rep. Cam Ward, who is chairman of the Alabama Autism Council, said that while some services can be provided through Medicaid and by some private insurers, the existing services are limited. Since autism itself isn't covered by Medicaid, families and individuals with autism must provide a dual diagnosis in order to get health coverage. Ward said that the challenge is even greater for young adults and individuals with a higher functioning level of autism. "It's a grim outlook for young adults with autism. We're still behind as a society," Ward said. "The whole country is behind in making sure that young adults are getting adequate services. If you mandate that Medicaid provide coverage of autism, then you have to find a way to pay for it." Laura Klinger, the co-founder and director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic at the University of Alabama, said that insurance coverage varies widely, usually based on an individual's cognitive ability. "The vast majority of insurance companies in Alabama do not cover autism," Klinger said. "They might cover medication but not intervention, which means no therapy or behavioral intervention." Klinger's UA-ACTS program, which stands for Autism Spectrum Disorders College Transition & Support Program, has helped several young adults navigate their way through college. While the cost of regular tuition and the UA-ACTS program can be too much for some families, she is working to raise scholarship funds to assist families in paying for the program. Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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