According to the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, researches and psychiatrists found a link between breech birth and autism spectrum disorders. The study published in 2009 included 132 babies later diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, as well as 13,200 babies who did not have an autism diagnosis. The researchers linked two factors that seem to relate to the development of autism spectrum disorders: the baby’s position at the time of labor and the mother’s age.
A breeched baby has its buttocks or feet at the vaginal opening rather than its head. A breech birth often results in a cesarean section instead of vaginal birth. Dr. Deborah Bilder, the lead researchers in the study, claims that according to the study, a baby in a breech position at the time of labor is twice as likely to develop autism spectrum disorder as a child who is born right side up.
Dr. Bilder could not go as far as to say that a breech birth causes autism. The study shows a relationship between the two factors but not a true cause. Dr. Bilder claims that there may be a prenatal factor involved, which leads to a breech presentation, which lends itself later to the development of autism. The team hopes to do follow-up studies to further understand autism and how a breech birth may lend itself to autism. The researchers hope to compare genetic similarity of breech birth babies and autism spectrum disorders.
