Rare pregnancy infections may triple the risk of autism

A major Swedish study involving 3.7 million people has found a link between rare TORCH infections, passed from a pregnant woman to the fetus, and significantly higher risks of autism and intellectual disability later in life. Children with a congenital TORCH infection were approximately three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism. Furthermore, they were more than seven times more likely to have an intellectual disability. The risk of severe to profound intellectual disability was up to 30 times higher in these children. The study highlights the potential impact of these infections on neurodevelopmental disorders.