The Possible Etiology of ASD

The Possible Etiology of ASD
One of the possible etiology of autism spectrum disorder is the use of various drugs during pregnancy. Thalidomide, a drug that has been used for several years by pregnant women to help reduce nausea, is highly linked to increasing the risk of ASD. In a study involving 100 adults whose mothers had taken thalidomide when pregnant, at least four were recorded to have had autistic characteristics (Amaral, 2017). Additionally, valproic acid, which has been approved and used since 1960 for seizure control, is perceived to be a possible etiology of ASD. In a study of 415 children, of whom 201 were born by mothers who took this medication when they were pregnant, 7.5 percent of the children were found to have neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurodevelopmental disorder is reported to be the primary form of ASD. On the other hand, only 1.9 percent of children born to non-epileptic mothers were found to have neurodevelopmental disorders (Amaral, 2017). Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a drug taken by pregnant mothers to help treat depression, are also depicted as a possible eti...