MATERNAL RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH AUTISM AMONG CHILDREN IN JEDDAH AUTISM CENTER, SAUDI ARABIA, JEDDAH 2016; A CASE-CONTROL STUDY.

Background: Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopment disorder associated with impairment of social communication and abnormal response to some environment stimuli. The aim: Determining maternal risk factors associated with autism and help in prevention, early detection, and intervention. Methodology: A case-control study design comprised all autistic children aged 3-6 years registered at Jeddah Autism Center during October 2016 (No. 27). With 1:3 ratio, eighty-one non-autistic controls attending kindergartens, age and sex-matched to autistic children were included in the study. Paper-based Arabic questionnaire was designed for the study. Results: Most patients were males, mainly diagnosed at age of 3-<4 years. Most of their parents were highly educated, with monthly income between 5000-10000 SAR. Positive family history of autism was more significant among cases than controls (p<0.05, OR;9.017, 95% CI:3.550-23.363). Cases were born for mothers aged ≥30 years and fathers aged ≥40 years more than controls. Parents consanguinity, post-term delivery, macrosomia and fetal distress during labor were more among cases. A lower percentage of cases were discharged from the hospitals with their mothers after delivery, as well as exclusively breastfed. Significantly more cases had neonatal jaundice than controls (p<0.05, OR;3.250, 95% CI:1.275-8.284). Conclusions: Incidence of autism in Jeddah is higher among males who are diagnosed mainly between age of 3-4 years. Some characteristics are associated with cases of autism. However, differences are significant to a positive family history of autism and occurrence of neonatal jaundice.