Taking Common Medications During Pregnancy May Heighten Autism Risk: Study

The drugs include antidepressants and beta-blockers.
Taking Common Medications During Pregnancy May Heighten Autism Risk: Study
A person takes a bottle of cholesterol-reduction medication while filling prescriptions at a community health center in Aurora, Colo., on March 27, 2012. John Moore/Getty Images
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
|Updated:
0:00

Some common generic drugs may increase the risk of a baby having autism if taken by the baby’s mother while pregnant, researchers said in a new study.

Women prescribed the medications, including the statin known as Lipitor, had a 1.47-fold higher risk of having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the paper, which was published by the Molecular Psychiatry journal on April 16.
Zachary Stieber
Zachary Stieber
Senior Reporter
Zachary Stieber is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times based in Maryland. He covers U.S. and world news. Contact Zachary at [email protected]
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