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Episodes of fever during pregnancy increase the risk of having children with autism
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Women who have had a high temperature during pregnancy are twice as likely as others to give birth to children with autism, according to scientists from the University of California, Davis (USA).
For the study, specialists selected 538 children suffering from autism spectrum disorder, 163 with developmental delays and 421 with normal development without any problems. The subjects' mothers provided information about their health during pregnancy.
After taking into account differences in race, age of the children, insurance, smoking, maternal education, and place of residence at birth, the results showed that women who had uncontrolled fever during pregnancy were twice as likely to have autism in their children as those born to mothers who did not have fever during pregnancy. Fever during pregnancy was also associated with a twofold increased risk of developmental delays.
Inflammation accompanies a rise in body temperature, and inflammatory proteins called cytokines can cross the placenta into the fetus. This cross-over could pose a risk if it interferes with the embryo’s brain development at a key stage. Animal studies have shown that exposure to proinflammatory cytokines during pregnancy causes behavioral problems in the animals later in life. Fever can also overactivate neurons, leading to impaired fetal brain growth.
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