Obstetric Care and Pregnancy Health in Autistic Individuals and Those with Other Developmental Disabilities in an Integrated Healthcare Setting in California.
Jennifer L Ames, Meredith Anderson, Emily Cronbach and 5 others
PMID 42667063WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic and developmentally disabled patients in an integrated system had higher rates of therapeutic abortion, severe vomiting, preterm birth, and perinatal depression than general population peers.
They also used emergency departments more often and had lower odds of live birth.
Key findings
01Autistic individuals had lower odds of live birth and higher odds of therapeutic abortion compared to the general population.
02Autistic individuals had significantly higher odds of pregnancy-related vomiting including hyperemesis gravidarum, and both autistic and developmental disability groups had higher odds of preterm birth and low Apgar scores.
03Autistic and developmental disability groups had substantially higher rates of perinatal depression and anxiety, and were more likely to use the emergency department during pregnancy and postpartum.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample of autistic pregnancies was relatively small (431), reducing power to detect some differences. Autism is often underdiagnosed in women and older adults, so the true prevalence and characteristics of the autistic population may be underestimated. The study did not match groups on age, race/ethnicity, or insurance type, relying on statistical adjustment which may leave residual confounding. Data on reasons for therapeutic abortion and specific causes of preterm birth were not available. Patterns of care and record-keeping changed over the long study period, potentially affecting earlier years' data.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the integrated healthcare system's high screening rates mean these patients are receiving adequate support. Despite similar access to prenatal care, autistic and DD patients had significantly higher emergency department use and poorer mental health outcomes, indicating unmet needs within standard care models.