The death of a close family member during pregnancy does not increase the risk of giving birth to a child with autism, a new study indicates.

Researchers looked at medical records of 1.5 million children and found no correlation between autism and the death of a loved one while the mother was pregnant. At least 37,000 of the children studied had mothers who experienced a loss while pregnant or within the year preceding pregnancy.

The findings reported in the journal Pediatrics, however, do not prove that other types of stress during pregnancy do not lead to an increased risk of autism. Stress is difficult to measure, but in theory, scientists say that it could impact brain development in the womb, reports Reuters. To read more click here.

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