Not so fast!
A recent article in the New York Daily News reporting research findings from the American Journal of Public Health has created unnecessary panic all across America today. I’ve received emails and calls from my worried patients because of the news coverage.
The study findings showed that IVF does not increase risk of autism. They found that the increased risk was associated with prematurity and other pregnancy complications.
Any news story that brings attention to learning more about IVF safety is a story worth paying close attention to. The title should really have been: prematurity and pregnancy complications may increase risk of autism. But at the end of the day, we know that autism is a complex disease and we’re learning more every day about how genes and proteins gone awry can be seen in the autistic brain.
IVF patients should talk to their doctors about how they can minimize prematurity risk in pregnancy and how to minimize pregnancy complications.
Talk to your doctor about:
1. Transferring less embryos.
2. Your chronic medical problems and what you can do to be as healthy as possible during pregnancy. For example, diabetes in pregnancy has been associated with increased autism risk. This does not mean that diabetes causes autism.
If I were to write an article about the study findings in a way to get everyone’s attention without causing panic, I would have written, “Does IVF Double Autism Risk?” and then followed with: “not so fast.”
The journalist covering the story sure did a great job getting my attention!
For a great Autism facebook page and blog to follow click here.
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