Is fetal nuchal cord associated with autism spectrum disorder? A meta-analysis

PURPOSE: There is inconsistent evidence about the association between fetal nuchal cord and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We performed a meta-analysis to investigate whether fetal nuchal cord is associated with an increased risk of ASD in offspring. METHODS: Three main English databases were searched until January 2021. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Study heterogeneity was determined using the I(2) statistic, while publication bias was assessed using Begg and Egger tests. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) and relative ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and were determined by a random-effects model. RESULTS: Five articles (1 cohort, 4 case-control; 3,088 total children) were included in the present meta-analysis. Fetal nuchal cord was not a risk factor for ASD (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.66–1.57). There was homogeneity among studies that reported a risk of ASD (I(2)=0.0%). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that fetal nuchal cord is not a risk factor for ASD. Future large cohort studies should confirm this finding.