To be worried that C section causes autism

[37weeks001]

Name change as I don’t want to out.

I am currently 33 weeks pregnant with second baby. My DD was born by emergency C section at 40 weeks weighing 5lbs but healthy. I have been diagnosed with IUGR as this baby is on 5th percentile. He is very active and moves around constantly so not worried about how the pregnancy is progressing and my instinct tells me he is physically ok.

However, throughout this pregnancy I have been so anxious that I could have a child with autism (history of males in family with autism), I also have anti natal depression.

I have am having regular scans because of IUGR. A consultant has today has told me that they want to schedule a c section at 37 weeks due to babies size. However last week another consultant told me that a c section before 39 weeks increases chances of autism/ADHD and learning difficulties.

The conflicting information has left me so confused. A part of me wants the c section at 37 weeks as I am getting a little fed up with the constant hospital appointments and becoming increasingly anxious with what I may be told and the other part of me thinks I should weight 39 weeks to lower risks?

WWYD?

If it definitely did increase the chances of autism I would try and wait but personally I've never heard that before. Have you looked into that comment more?

I would do your own research but I would personally wait anyways, it's only another 2 weeks and baby will be closer to when it should actually be born.

An NHS consultant told you that....? Yeah right.
Preterm birth comes with associated risks but those risks are smaller than the risks of keeping them in. My daughter was a c section at 32 weeks and I'd rather she had learning difficulties than had died... however 37 weeks is full term.

How on earth does a c section cause a neurological difference that from research shows it's largely genetic?

But is the risk because of the c section or is the risk because of existing factors with the baby that result in the need for an earlier c section? If they have said before 39 weeks I would be interested in the split between those at 37/38 weeks (which is not that early) vs 32/34 weeks for example which may well be more likely to lead to developmental issues.

C sections don't cause autism. Can't believe a health professional said that! How awful to make you anxious like that. Complain if and when you have the strength.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.spectrumnews.org/news/cesarean-sections-tenuously-tied-to-autism/amp balanced article here.

Never heard that before. I doubt a consultant would have laid those cards on the table!
I had my first daughter by c section at 36 weeks - she’s going to be nine next week. She has no special needs and is an incredibly bright, happy, sociable and clever girl.

You are likely to have an autistic child due to genetics not a csection

Thanks for the replies.

I have done my own research, there is some evidence to suggest that a C section on or before 37 weeks can increase chances of autism and ADHD but only slight, still enough to be significant. However the research states there could be other factors at play which could contribute to these stats such as mothers who have selective c sections early are more likely to be older, obese and possibly have conditions such as preeclampsia and diabetes which could also explain the increase in autism/adhd in their children (this is not my opinion but the reports of the researchers).

Mine was a c section and is an incredibly bright, happy, sociable and clever girl. She also has ADHD.

There appears to be a slight correlation which is very unlikely to prove a causative link.

Thank you @October2020 I also read that article. The consultant has really scared me.

Yes @mamaoffourdc I am aware there is genetic disposition to autism which is why I mentioned my family history. I also do not want to increase my chances.

Sounds like correlation, rather than causation. Unfortunately, the chances of a lot of things go up very slightly if baby is born before 37 weeks.

Doubt it's the C-section.

Take advice and do what is best for you and your baby. All the best.

The reason c sections have a higher rate of SEN is obvious, these babies are the ones that become distressed during labour and thus end up c sections.

The consultant sounds quite "alternative."

My child had c section and was distressed. No sen.

There are theories that a traumatic birth (for the baby) can be a cause of autism. It would make sense then, that there would, be more instances of austitic people born via c section - but that doesn't mean the surgery caused it.

@malificent7

My child had c section and was distressed. No sen.

Of course not all distressed babies have SEN either..

Distress just shows a baby is not coping well.

Two things:

The ‘link’ between CS and ASD (if it exists at all) is likely to be correlative, not causative - so there are common factors that make CS necessary also associated with higher ASD incidence.

Secondly, if you have a genetic predisposition to ASD that’s just life, I’m afraid. Whether your child does/does not have ASD is immaterial - they are going to be the same person regardless. But if they do have ASD then seeking help and support is important to allow them to thrive.

I say this as a parent to an ASD child whose ASD may well be linked to a fairly disastrous vaginal/instrumental delivery in which he very nearly died. He was hypoxic for some minutes and went straight to NICU. I would absolutely prefer my ASD child over a dead baby any day. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.

If your family medical history has males with autism then it's genetic regardless of whether you have a c-section or not. It's in your family DNA & some families have a strong genetic prevalence towards autism. So it won't make a difference whether you have a c section or not.

I had a very rushed c section with a baby in distress and failure to progress. My waters had broken 25 hours before the c section.

That child just had an interview with Cambridge university and definitely does not have autism. Child number 2 was a planned c section 10 days early. Again, no autism.

If the consultant wants the baby out at 37 weeks, why is that? Surely there is a lot more of an immediate risk to the baby’s life by keeping them in for longer than a slightly raised chance of autism?!

I had both my child naturally. They’re both autistic. So I don’t think a c section has anything to do with it.

I have never heard that and am very doubtful a consultant would have said it.

Maybe a premature birth in general would have slightly increased chances. And if they are doing a C section before 39 weeks I guess there must have been some issue because they wouldn't normally do it early unless there was some kind of problem.

But I really doubt that the mere process of having a C section rather than traditional labour "causes" autism. It's like people saying vaccines cause autism, or other things.

Autism isn't a disease, it's just a way of being. If your child has a predisposition to it then it is just like a part of their personality, not something they can "catch" via the way they are delivered.

Try not to worry because what will be will be and you will deal with it.

Does ‘doing your own research’ involve critically reading peer reviewed medical journals? Or is it Google?

I can’t comment on your medical history but if a consultant has recommended a C section for IUGR then there will be a good reason. Yes it’s usually best to deliver as near to term as possible but equally there are often good reasons to deliver earlier. It’s a balance weighing those risks up