Researchers at Tulane University found that exposure to wildfire smoke during the final months of pregnancy may increase the risk of a child being diagnosed with autism. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, analyzed over 200,000 births in Southern California between 2006 and 2014.
The researchers focused on California because it leads the U.S. in both annual wildfire burn areas and childhood autism diagnoses. They discovered that children whose mothers encountered wildfire smoke in their third trimester showed a higher likelihood of receiving an autism diagnosis by age five.
The risk was strongest among mothers exposed to smoke for more than ten days during the last trimester, whose children experienced a 23% higher chance of autism compared to children whose mothers were never exposed.
The study also noted patterns among mothers of children later diagnosed with autism: they tended to be older, were less likely to have had previous pregnancies, and had higher rates of pre-pregnancy diabetes and obesity.
Researchers emphasized that growing evidence links prenatal exposure to air pollution with autism risk. Fine particles, often containing heavy metals, are suspected contributors. The findings align with a 2021 Harvard University study, which found that exposure to air pollution in late pregnancy—during rapid fetal brain development—correlated with an increased autism risk.
The researchers clarified that the study does not prove a direct causal link between wildfire smoke and autism but adds to evidence showing that air pollutants may negatively affect fetal neurological development.
Scientific publication: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c08256
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