Maternal Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for Offspring Autism Spectrum Disorder

Problem statement

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by disrupted social interactions, impaired language, stereotypic and repetitive behavior with different degrees of severity. The etiology of ASD is largely unknown. In addition to both genetic and environmental factors involved in the development of this disorder, prior findings suggest for the role of vitamin D during pregnancy in association with increased risk of offspring ASD.

Findings from previous studies on maternal 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy and offspring autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are inconsistent. In this nationwide register-based study with 1558 case-control pairs, maternal 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy were associated with offspring ASD.

Study population

All the offspring were derived from the prenatal serum specimens nested in the Finnish Maternity Cohort (FMC). The study included 1558 children born from 1987 to 2004, who received a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder by 2015.

Outcomes

There was a significant association between increasing log-transformed maternal 25(OH)D levels and decreasing risk of offspring ASD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-0.92, p = .005). This finding has implications for understanding the role of maternal vitamin D during fetal brain development and increased risk of ASD.

“The results has implications for understanding the role of maternal vitamin D during fetal brain development and increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children,” says PhD, docent Heljä-Marja Surcel from Finnish Maternity Cohort, European Science Infrastructure Services on- European Economic Interest Group (ESIS-EEIG), Biobank Borealis of Northern Finland.

Publications

Sourander A, Upadhyaya S, Surcel HM, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki S, Cheslack-Postava K, Silwal S, Sucksdorff M, McKeague IW, Brown AS. Maternal Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy and Offspring Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 1;90(11):790-797.

Sucksdorff M, Brown AS, Chudal R, Surcel HM, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki S, Cheslack-Postava K, Gyllenberg D, Sourander A.J Maternal Vitamin D Levels and the Risk of Offspring Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021 Jan;60(1):142-151.e2.