Human study · Research · 23 Sept 2026
Rare pregnancy infections may triple the risk of autism
Source: ScienceDaily
What the research found
A major Swedish study of 3.7 million people has found that rare TORCH infections passed from a pregnant woman to the fetus are linked to much higher risks of autism and intellectual disability later in life. Children with a congenital TORCH infection were about three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism, more than seven times more likely to have an intellectual disability, and up to 30 times more likely to h
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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