Davis, California – Research study suggests that dietary supplements during pregnancy results in reduced risk of autism.
Expectant mothers always worry about their baby’s health, requiring urgent care and further solutions so as to keep their unborn child healthy at all times. A new research study suggests that prescribed iron supplements during pregnancy play a significant effect in reducing the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) risk to the unborn child. The researchers discovered that children with autism were more likely to have mothers who did not take iron supplements during and even prior to their pregnancy, while children who were developing normally had otherwise.
Further discovery also indicated that 35 years and older mothers with low iron intake were at five times risk of having an autistic child. Mothers on the same levels of risk were discovered to have metabolic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Expectant mothers with such health issues usually visit urgent care clinics to monitor their condition.
The participants in the study were asked to take healthy amounts of dietary supplements and iron supplement, which eventually resulted in a reduced risk of autism during their pregnancy. Generally, ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition, which is characterized by repetitive behaviors, language impairments, and social deficits.
Lead author of the study, Rebecca Schmidt said the study requires replication, although it has reinforced current practices of pregnancy nutrients and folic acid recommended dosage. Folic acid is the synthetic counterpart of folate, which is a type of iron that is processed by the body easier, Schmidt added.
Expectant mothers suffering from iron deficiency normally visit an urgent care clinic for proper and immediate medication, considering anemia as the most common health condition caused by iron deficiency. Between 40% and 50% of expectant mothers and their unborn child are affected by iron deficiency, causing impairment to the thinking, language development, social engagement, and motor development of the child, based on the research.
Schmidt emphasized that other research works and her team’ previous studies have noted a remarkable association between autism and iron levels. Children with ASD were found to have low iron level that caused an inefficient absorption or metabolization of iron, while adequate iron levels will certainly result in reduced risk of autism.
Additionally, the research work indicated that children with autism were born earlier than the typical. As a sort of an urgent care near me facility among the participants, pairs of children with autism and their mothers were enrolled in the Californian study called “Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment” (CHARGE) between 2003 and 2009 to educate about the possibilities of reduced risk of autism and its relation with nutritional supplements.
