Maternal steroid levels and the autistic traits of the mother and infant.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prenatal sex steroids have been associated with autism in several clinical and epidemiological studies. It is unclear how this relates to the autistic traits of the mother and how early this can be detected during pregnancy and postnatal development.

Methods

Maternal serum was collected from pregnant women (n = 122) before or during their first ultrasound appointment [mean = 12.7 (SD = 0.7) weeks]. Concentrations of the following were measured via immunoassays: testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, progesterone; and sex hormone-binding globulin which was used to compute the free fractions of estradiol (FEI) and testosterone (FTI). Standardised human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) values were obtained

SUBMITTER: Tsompanidis A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8268382 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature