Antenatal C-Reactive Protein and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from a National Study
Faculty Mentor
Kelly Sullivan
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
If Other was choses above, please indicate your topic area here:
Maternal and Child Health
Type of Research
Completed
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Department
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences
Abstract
Background:
The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United States has risen markedly over the past two decades. Previous studies have reported inconsistent associations between behavioral changes in ASD and maternal immune activation during pregnancy. This study investigated the association between maternal inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP) and ASD risk in children.
Methods:
The study used antenatal bio-samples from mothers who participated in the National Children’s Study, conducted between January 2009 and December 2014. Datasets comprising 131 mother-child pairs with second- and third-trimester maternal CRP records and children’s screening results for ASD were analyzed. Logistic regression estimates for log-transformed maternal CRP and the child’s likelihood of screening positive for ASD were computed.
Results:
The mean maternal CRP in the ASD risk group was 1.9±0.7 mg/L, compared with 1.7±0.7 mg/L in the no-risk group. Mothers with CRP (>7.8 mg/L) had a higher percentage of children screened at risk of ASD (33.3%) relative to those in the lowest CRP category (22.4%). Elevated maternal CRP was consistently associated with higher odds of ASD risk, although estimates were imprecise with wide confidence intervals. The odds of ASD in children of mothers with CRP >7.8 mg/L were 1.96 (95% CI: 0.24–16.27) and 6.32 (95% CI: 0.28–144.13) in datasets A and B, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the odds of ASD remained high (aOR ranging from 2.90 to 6.17), but results remained statistically nonsignificant.
Conclusion:
This study observed a trend of an increased risk of ASD among children exposed to higher maternal CRP levels during pregnancy. However, a limited number of children who screened positive for ASD restricted statistical power. Antenatal screening for CRP can be valuable for early detection and management of inflammation, supporting healthier fetal neurodevelopment. Future studies with larger, clinically confirmed cohorts are needed to understand the role of prenatal inflammation in ASD etiology.
Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge NICHD DASH for providing the data that was National Children's Study used for this research. This abstract was prepared using National Children’s Study Research Materials and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Masud, Nazish; Cowan, Logan; Nazaruk, Dziyana; and Sullivan, Kelly, "Antenatal C-Reactive Protein and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from a National Study" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 50.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/50
Antenatal C-Reactive Protein and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from a National Study
Russell Union Ballroom
Background:
The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United States has risen markedly over the past two decades. Previous studies have reported inconsistent associations between behavioral changes in ASD and maternal immune activation during pregnancy. This study investigated the association between maternal inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP) and ASD risk in children.
Methods:
The study used antenatal bio-samples from mothers who participated in the National Children’s Study, conducted between January 2009 and December 2014. Datasets comprising 131 mother-child pairs with second- and third-trimester maternal CRP records and children’s screening results for ASD were analyzed. Logistic regression estimates for log-transformed maternal CRP and the child’s likelihood of screening positive for ASD were computed.
Results:
The mean maternal CRP in the ASD risk group was 1.9±0.7 mg/L, compared with 1.7±0.7 mg/L in the no-risk group. Mothers with CRP (>7.8 mg/L) had a higher percentage of children screened at risk of ASD (33.3%) relative to those in the lowest CRP category (22.4%). Elevated maternal CRP was consistently associated with higher odds of ASD risk, although estimates were imprecise with wide confidence intervals. The odds of ASD in children of mothers with CRP >7.8 mg/L were 1.96 (95% CI: 0.24–16.27) and 6.32 (95% CI: 0.28–144.13) in datasets A and B, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, the odds of ASD remained high (aOR ranging from 2.90 to 6.17), but results remained statistically nonsignificant.
Conclusion:
This study observed a trend of an increased risk of ASD among children exposed to higher maternal CRP levels during pregnancy. However, a limited number of children who screened positive for ASD restricted statistical power. Antenatal screening for CRP can be valuable for early detection and management of inflammation, supporting healthier fetal neurodevelopment. Future studies with larger, clinically confirmed cohorts are needed to understand the role of prenatal inflammation in ASD etiology.
Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge NICHD DASH for providing the data that was National Children's Study used for this research. This abstract was prepared using National Children’s Study Research Materials and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.
