4 ms·

There may genetic propensity, but it may also be fueled by maternal stress during pregnancy (anecdotally possibly energy depravation of some kind or too high a

by dzink 4y ago

There may genetic propensity, but it may also be fueled by maternal stress during pregnancy (anecdotally possibly energy depravation of some kind or too high a cortisol level in the blood). From Moms of multiples in FB groups, the level of anxiety in each pregnancy in the same mom seems to result in similar baseline anxiety in the baby. In one case a very early delivery (27 weeks) in a mom with a very stressful professional environment during pregnancy lead to the most severe case. Very little seems to be done to investigate influence of stress, different types of food intake, sleep on the fetus during different pregnancies of the same parents.

upupandup 4y ago
Maternal stress on the fetus has huge impact. In my mother's case, before, during and after preganancy, she was abused, starved (because my dad didn't want her to become fat), and suffered all around. I believe this is what contributed to my spectrum but I believe my dad also was on the spectrum but they just didn't have the words to identify it back then. So it is probably genetic mostly and environment also contributes. Having said that its a big reason why I don't want children. I don't want to pass this on to them, on top of the PTSD I received from my dad and toxic environment. I find it surprising that high functioning spectrum folks are more likely to have offsprings than neurotypal. Because there was a time when I wanted to start a family too.
nineplay 4y ago
I have to wonder if maternal stress is on the rise in any significant way. We can iterate though the list of stressors we all have today, but for millennial mothers have given birth in times war and famine and high infant mortality. Why would autism be more common now than then.
callalex 4y ago
Please, do not EVER try to come to any medical conclusions based on observations of a Facebook mom group. That is basically taking all of the known issues with anecdotes and distilling it into a self-amplifying disaster.

by dzink 4y ago

upupandup 4y ago

Maternal stress on the fetus has huge impact. In my mother's case, before, during and after preganancy, she was abused, starved (because my dad didn't want her to become fat), and suffered all around. I believe this is what contributed to my spectrum but I believe my dad also was on the spectrum but they just didn't have the words to identify it back then. So it is probably genetic mostly and environment also contributes. Having said that its a big reason why I don't want children. I don't want to pass this on to them, on top of the PTSD I received from my dad and toxic environment. I find it surprising that high functioning spectrum folks are more likely to have offsprings than neurotypal. Because there was a time when I wanted to start a family too.

nineplay 4y ago

I have to wonder if maternal stress is on the rise in any significant way. We can iterate though the list of stressors we all have today, but for millennial mothers have given birth in times war and famine and high infant mortality. Why would autism be more common now than then.

callalex 4y ago

Please, do not EVER try to come to any medical conclusions based on observations of a Facebook mom group. That is basically taking all of the known issues with anecdotes and distilling it into a self-amplifying disaster.