Evaluation of Prenatal and Perinatal Risk Factors in Autism Spectrum Disorder According to Disease Severity

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate prenatal and perinatal characteristics among the risk factors in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to disease severity. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-eight children in the ASD group and 100 children in the control group were included in the study. Prenatal and perinatal characteristics of the ASD and control groups were retrospectively evaluated using the Socio-demographic and Research Data Form. The ASD group was divided into two groups, mild-moderate ASD and severe ASD, according to the Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores. Results: Paternal age and history of hypoxia/asphyxia during pregnancy were found to be statistically significantly higher in the severe ASD group compared to both the mild-moderate ASD group and the control group. The rate of paternal smoking during pregnancy, preterm labor, and difficult delivery history were statistically higher in both ASD groups compared to the control group. Conclusion: This study shows that prenatal and perinatal factors are more prevalent in individuals diagnosed with ASD compared to the control group. It also found that the presence of certain factors, such as paternal age and history of hypoxia/asphyxia, was associated with more severe ASD symptoms. Our findings suggest that the identification and management of potential risk factors in the prenatal and perinatal periods may influence the severity of the disease in ASD.