The association between preeclampsia and autism spectrum disorders among children: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Purpose: In this meta-analysis, relevant case-control and cohort studies were pooled to evaluate the association between preeclampsia and the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children. Methods: A search for relevant studies in major databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, was performed up to May 2018. The odds ratios (ORs) or rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted from eligible studies to determine the association among studies. Results: The pooled estimates of ORs and RRs indicated a significant association between preeclampsia and ASD [(OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12–1.60) and (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.20–1.41)]. Conclusions: Despite existing controversy, our findings indicated that preeclampsia was associated with an increased risk of ASD among children.