I included several potential lines of inquiry based on an observed association between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and infants born with ASD. My son, David, referred me to a very interesting line of investigation that uncovers a different correlation.
I have looked at several research articles in the scientific literature that all find that there is a genetic link between children diagnosed with ASD, and women experiencing increased pain during pregnancy. These studies all find the same thing: for patients whose genetic markers indicate a predilection for pain during pregnancy, there is an associated increased risk of the development of ASD in their babies.
This creates an interesting line of research to try to understand what metabolic or developmental changes are associated with these genetic markers.
More importantly, for today’s discussion, the co-occurrence of antenatal (pre-birth) pain with ASD is totally consistent with the association of Tylenol and ASD – women experiencing increased pain will be far more likely to rely on pain relievers during pregnancy, and Tylenol is still the medication of choice to relieve that pain. The net result will be that these women, using Tylenol to reduce their increased pain, are INDEPENDENTLY at risk for their children developing ASD. It is not the Tylenol, it is the genetic predisposition linkage between these two things, ASD and pain during pregnancy.