Maternal Anemia and Its Relationship with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Yıl 2025,
Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3, 156 - 166, 31.10.2025
Gülten Çelebi
,
Hasan Durmuş
,
Arda Borlu
,
Fevziye Çetinkaya
Öz
Aim: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviors. Its etiology involves multiple genetic and environmental factors. This study investigates the possible association between maternal anemia during pregnancy and the later diagnosis of ASD in the child. Method: This retrospective case-control study included 46 children diagnosed with ASD and 136 age- and sex-matched healthy controls in Nevşehir, Türkiye. Maternal blood values and pregnancy-related data were collected through structured questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software. Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the case and control groups regarding maternal hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, and MCHC levels (p>0.05). The prevalence of anemia was lower in the ASD group but not statistically significant (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.4–1.4). Conclusion: No significant association was found between maternal anemia and ASD diagnosis. Limitations such as missing data, lack of information on anemia type and timing, and supplement use during pregnancy may have influenced the results. Further cohort studies with larger sample sizes and detailed biochemical analysis are recommended.
Etik Beyan
Our study was approved by the Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Non-İnvasive Clinical Research Publication Ethics Committee, decision number 2022/63, meeting dated 20.06.2022.
Destekleyen Kurum
No financial support was received from any individual, institution, or organization for the conduct or publication of this study.
Kaynakça
-
Susuz Ç, Güçiz Doğan B. Autism spectrum disorder with public health perspective. Estüdam Public Health J. 2020 Apr;5(2):297–310.
-
Durmuş K, Sarol H, Gürkan RK. Autism spectrum disorder and physical activity. J Human Sci. 2021 Dec;18(4):691–703.
-
Çağlar C, Özkan HH. Content analysis of articles about autism published in Turkey between 2010–2020. Süleyman Demirel Univ Soc Sci Inst J. 2021;40:77–97.
-
Kaba D, Soykan Aysev A. Evaluation of autism spectrum disorder in early childhood according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Turk J Psychiatry. 2019;30(4):237–45.
-
Wiegersma AM, Dalman C, Lee BK, Karlsson H, Gardner RM. Association of prenatal maternal anemia with neurodevelopmental disorders. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(12):1294–304.
-
Marotta R, Risoleo MC, Messina G, Parisi L, Carotenuto M, Vetri L, et al. The neurochemistry of autism. Brain Sci. 2020;10(3):163.
-
Lord C, Elsabbagh M, Baird G, Veenstra-Vanderweele J. Autism spectrum disorder. Lancet. 2018;392(10146):508–20.
-
Göksoy ŞÇ, Tanır Y, Soylu N, Baki AM, Vural P, Karayağmurlu A. The role of Sertoli cell hormones in male preponderance observed in autism spectrum disorder. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2024 May 29;61(2):141–7.
-
Zhang XY, Kornhuber J, Erhard G, Lenz B, Kraus T, Sperling W, et al. Low digit ratio 2D:4D in alcohol dependent patients. PLoS One. 2011;6(4):e19332.
-
Kashani Z, Pakzad R, Fakari FR, Haghparast MS, Abdi F, Kiani Z, et al. Electromagnetic fields exposure on fetal and childhood abnormalities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Med (Wars). 2023;18(1):[Pages].
-
Sadik A, Dardani C, Pagoni P, Havdahl A, Stergiakouli E, Grove J, et al. Parental inflammatory bowel disease and autism in children. Nat Med. 2022;28(7):1406–11.
-
Global Health Metrics. Anaemia—level 1 impairment. Lancet. 2019;393:R2.
-
Yalçın KS. The most common cause of microcytic anemia: iron deficiency anemia. Turkiye Klinikleri Hematol-Special Top. 2024;17(2):1–8.
-
World Health Organization. Global nutrition targets 2025: stunting policy brief. Geneva: WHO; 2014.
-
Karami M, Chaleshgar M, Salari N, Akbari H, Mohammadi M. Global prevalence of anemia in pregnant women: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Matern Child Health J. 2022;26(7):1473–87.
-
UNICEF. The extension of the 2025 maternal, infant and young child nutrition targets to 2030: WHO. 2021.
-
Dayı T, Pekcan G. Current approaches: folic acid supplementation for pregnant women. Food Health. 2019;128–38.
-
McWilliams S, Singh I, Leung W, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS. Iron deficiency and common neurodevelopmental disorders—a scoping review. PLoS One. 2022;17(9):e0273819.
-
Leonard H, De Klerk N, Bourke J, Bower C. Maternal health in pregnancy and intellectual disability in the offspring: a population-based study. Ann Epidemiol. 2006;16(6):448–54.
-
Sampaio AC, Matos FFDN, Lopes LDL, Marques İMM, Tavares RM, Fernandes MVDM, et al. Association of the maternal folic acid supplementation with the autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2021;43(10):775–81.
-
Frye RE, Rossignol DA. Treatments for biomedical abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder. Front Pediatr. 2014;2:66.
-
Wiens D, DeSoto MC. Is high folic acid intake a risk factor for autism?—A review. Brain Sci. 2017;7(11):149.
-
Raghavan R, Riley AW, Volk H, Caruso D, Hironaka L, Sices L, et al. Maternal multivitamin intake, plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels and autism spectrum disorder risk in offspring. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2018;32(1):100–11.
-
Swineford LB, Thurm A, Baird G, Wetherby A, Swedo S. Social (pragmatic) communication disorder: a research review of this new DSM-5 diagnostic category. J Neurodev Disord. 2014;6:1–8.
-
Da Silva Lopes K, Ota E, Shakya P, Dagvadorj A, Balogun OO, Peña-Rosas JP, et al. Effects of nutrition interventions during pregnancy on low birth weight: an overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Glob Health. 2017;2(3):e000389.
Maternal Anemi ile Otizm Spektrum İlişkisi
Yıl 2025,
Cilt: 8 Sayı: 3, 156 - 166, 31.10.2025
Gülten Çelebi
,
Hasan Durmuş
,
Arda Borlu
,
Fevziye Çetinkaya
Öz
Amaç: Otizm spektrum bozukluğu (OSB), sosyal etkileşim, iletişim ve davranışlarda sınırlılıkla karakterize edilen nörogelişimsel bir bozukluktur. OSB'nin etiyolojisi çok faktörlüdür; genetik, çevresel ve prenatal etmenlerin rol oynadığı bilinmektedir. Bu çalışmada, gebelik döneminde görülen maternal aneminin çocukta OSB gelişimiyle ilişkisi araştırılmıştır. Yöntem: Bu retrospektif vaka-kontrol çalışmasında, Nevşehir ilinde özel eğitim alan 46 OSB tanılı çocuk ile yaş ve cinsiyet açısından eşleştirilmiş 136 sağlıklı çocuk incelenmiştir. Annelere ait gebelik dönemi kan değerleri, sağlık geçmişi ve demografik veriler anket yoluyla toplanmış ve istatistiksel analizler IBM SPSS Statistics 25 programı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular: Yapılan analizlerde, anneye ait hemoglobin, hematokrit, MCV ve MCHC değerleri ile çocukta OSB tanısı arasında anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır (p>0.05). Anemi sıklığı OSB grubunda daha düşük olmakla birlikte, istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildir (OR: 0.7; %95 GA: 0.4–1.4). Sonuç: Maternal anemi ile otizm arasında doğrudan bir ilişki saptanmamıştır. Ancak eksik veri kaydı, aneminin tipi ve zamanlamasına dair detayların eksikliği çalışmanın sınırlılıkları arasındadır. Daha geniş örneklemli, prospektif ve biyokimyasal verilerin ayrıntılı değerlendirildiği çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.
Kaynakça
-
Susuz Ç, Güçiz Doğan B. Autism spectrum disorder with public health perspective. Estüdam Public Health J. 2020 Apr;5(2):297–310.
-
Durmuş K, Sarol H, Gürkan RK. Autism spectrum disorder and physical activity. J Human Sci. 2021 Dec;18(4):691–703.
-
Çağlar C, Özkan HH. Content analysis of articles about autism published in Turkey between 2010–2020. Süleyman Demirel Univ Soc Sci Inst J. 2021;40:77–97.
-
Kaba D, Soykan Aysev A. Evaluation of autism spectrum disorder in early childhood according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Turk J Psychiatry. 2019;30(4):237–45.
-
Wiegersma AM, Dalman C, Lee BK, Karlsson H, Gardner RM. Association of prenatal maternal anemia with neurodevelopmental disorders. JAMA Psychiatry. 2019;76(12):1294–304.
-
Marotta R, Risoleo MC, Messina G, Parisi L, Carotenuto M, Vetri L, et al. The neurochemistry of autism. Brain Sci. 2020;10(3):163.
-
Lord C, Elsabbagh M, Baird G, Veenstra-Vanderweele J. Autism spectrum disorder. Lancet. 2018;392(10146):508–20.
-
Göksoy ŞÇ, Tanır Y, Soylu N, Baki AM, Vural P, Karayağmurlu A. The role of Sertoli cell hormones in male preponderance observed in autism spectrum disorder. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2024 May 29;61(2):141–7.
-
Zhang XY, Kornhuber J, Erhard G, Lenz B, Kraus T, Sperling W, et al. Low digit ratio 2D:4D in alcohol dependent patients. PLoS One. 2011;6(4):e19332.
-
Kashani Z, Pakzad R, Fakari FR, Haghparast MS, Abdi F, Kiani Z, et al. Electromagnetic fields exposure on fetal and childhood abnormalities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Med (Wars). 2023;18(1):[Pages].
-
Sadik A, Dardani C, Pagoni P, Havdahl A, Stergiakouli E, Grove J, et al. Parental inflammatory bowel disease and autism in children. Nat Med. 2022;28(7):1406–11.
-
Global Health Metrics. Anaemia—level 1 impairment. Lancet. 2019;393:R2.
-
Yalçın KS. The most common cause of microcytic anemia: iron deficiency anemia. Turkiye Klinikleri Hematol-Special Top. 2024;17(2):1–8.
-
World Health Organization. Global nutrition targets 2025: stunting policy brief. Geneva: WHO; 2014.
-
Karami M, Chaleshgar M, Salari N, Akbari H, Mohammadi M. Global prevalence of anemia in pregnant women: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Matern Child Health J. 2022;26(7):1473–87.
-
UNICEF. The extension of the 2025 maternal, infant and young child nutrition targets to 2030: WHO. 2021.
-
Dayı T, Pekcan G. Current approaches: folic acid supplementation for pregnant women. Food Health. 2019;128–38.
-
McWilliams S, Singh I, Leung W, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS. Iron deficiency and common neurodevelopmental disorders—a scoping review. PLoS One. 2022;17(9):e0273819.
-
Leonard H, De Klerk N, Bourke J, Bower C. Maternal health in pregnancy and intellectual disability in the offspring: a population-based study. Ann Epidemiol. 2006;16(6):448–54.
-
Sampaio AC, Matos FFDN, Lopes LDL, Marques İMM, Tavares RM, Fernandes MVDM, et al. Association of the maternal folic acid supplementation with the autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2021;43(10):775–81.
-
Frye RE, Rossignol DA. Treatments for biomedical abnormalities associated with autism spectrum disorder. Front Pediatr. 2014;2:66.
-
Wiens D, DeSoto MC. Is high folic acid intake a risk factor for autism?—A review. Brain Sci. 2017;7(11):149.
-
Raghavan R, Riley AW, Volk H, Caruso D, Hironaka L, Sices L, et al. Maternal multivitamin intake, plasma folate and vitamin B12 levels and autism spectrum disorder risk in offspring. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2018;32(1):100–11.
-
Swineford LB, Thurm A, Baird G, Wetherby A, Swedo S. Social (pragmatic) communication disorder: a research review of this new DSM-5 diagnostic category. J Neurodev Disord. 2014;6:1–8.
-
Da Silva Lopes K, Ota E, Shakya P, Dagvadorj A, Balogun OO, Peña-Rosas JP, et al. Effects of nutrition interventions during pregnancy on low birth weight: an overview of systematic reviews. BMJ Glob Health. 2017;2(3):e000389.