Studies still preliminary

Papers
presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Philadelphia this
week suggest that autism may be linked to infertility drugs. According to a
report in Time magazine, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health
found that autism was nearly twice as common among the children of women
treated with Clomid and similar drugs than women who did not suffer from
infertility. Even when the women’s age was taken into account the link
persisted. The longer the treatment, the more likely it was that the child had
an autism spectrum disorder.

And Israeli scientists
found an association between the risk of autism and IVF, which also involves
fertility drugs. “Taken together,” says Time, “the studies add to a growing
body of evidence that a history of infertility and treatment for infertility
could play a role in causing autism. However, the papers raise more questions
than they answer.” ~ Time,
May 20

Michael Cook
autism
infertility drugs
IVF

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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