One study reveals that prenatal use of vitamins in early pregnancy is associated with a lower autism risk – Health News

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – A medical study has linked prenatal vitamins to a lower risk of autism in "high risk families".

The study, conducted by JAMA Psychiatry, followed 241 children whose older siblings had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Since the disorder was diagnosed in older siblings, the children studied presented an increased risk of autism diagnosis.

The researchers evaluated the development of children from six months to three years.

The results of the study revealed that just over 14% of children whose mothers took prenatal vitamins during the first month of pregnancy were developing autism. In comparison, 33% of children developed the disorder when their mother did not take vitamins.

"Taking prenatal vitamins by the mother during the first month of pregnancy could reduce the recurrence of ASD in siblings with children with ASD in high-risk families," the research concludes.

The researchers say that, if the results are important, additional research is needed to confirm the results.