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Could There be a Link Between Prenatal Ultrasounds and Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Over the years there has been a lot of concern and focus on what causes autism. Some have speculated that autism is caused by a mutation in the amygdala (the emotion center of the brain), others that it is due to a disorder in the digestive track, and the most common theory may be that autism is caused by vaccines. There isn’t enough evidence to prove any of these theories correct, but could there be some merit behind the accusation that there is a link between autism spectrum disorder and prenatal ultrasounds?

This article caught my eye because I am currently studying to become an ultrasound technician. As I prepare to enter this field I wanted to make sure that my profession of choice isn’t causing any harm to the future parents and children that will be my patients. It is also important for me to know all the facts so that when parents come in with concerns I am able to provide them with sound information that will help comfort and educate them.

Ultrasound technology has drastically increased over the last few decades providing parents more detailed images of the fetus, placenta, and surrounding maternal organs, through the use of high-frequency sound waves. As the use of this technology has increased, so too have the diagnoses of autism, which sparked questions about a potential link.

A rigorous study was preformed to examine the merit of this supposed link. The study analyzed medical records of over 400 kids born at Boston Medical Center to see if there was an association between ultrasounds in the first or second trimester of pregnancy and development of autism. At the conclusion of this study it was found that children with autism did not experience more prenatal scans, or more ultrasound exposure, than children with typical development.  In fact, they actually experienced less exposure than the other children. This finding adds weight to earlier studies, suggesting that the use of high-frequency sound waves used in this type of imaging are not powerful enough to cause autism on their own. 

Pregnancy can be a very scary time for parents. Whether it's their first kid or their eighth there are so many things that could go wrong, and there are so many unknowns.Ultrasounds give parents a chance to learn about and see their baby, and I believe that these scans can ease a lot of unnecessary worrying. While it may not be comforting to know that the cause of autism is still unknown, I believe that it is comforting to know that you can look at your baby and learn all about it without a fear of harming it.

While this study didn't prove the cause of autism it did rule out another possibility which is a step in the right direction. I believe that this study offered a lot of useful information that can be used in future studies. Hopefully this study will help us finally discover the cause of autism spectrum disorder.

- DA

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 19, 2018 at 7:52 PM

    My question derives from Boston Medical Center's results on their study and how they didn't find much supporting evidence. I am very aware of the vaccination scare and how these alternative sources might have connections with autism. You mention that some speculate that this could be caused by a mutation in the amygdala. So, could autism simply be due to a chemical imbalance during development? And if so, could this potentially be treatable during the affected persons life? I understand that we don't have a definitive answer yet, but just a few interesting thoughts came to mind as I read. BDO

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  2. UnknownApril 24, 2018 at 9:28 PM

    I wonder what lead the Boston medical center to even conduct this study if it was significantly wrong, not saying that every expirement will prevail but I want to know why this intrgiued them. Was it because ther may possible be radiation rays given off during the screenings? What was the leading question to delvelop this hypothesis so that we get more background information on what was their train of thought. - AA

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  3. UnknownApril 26, 2018 at 2:08 AM

    What exactly leads to the development of autism? Is it a mutation that occurs during the meiotic division of the parental cells or is it a mutation that occurs during gestation? I'm curious to see what really leads to autism since there have been so many hypothesis but nothing has really been proven yet. - K.G.

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