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Previous studies report associations between conception with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and autism. Whether these associations reflect an ascertainment or biologic effect is undetermined. We assessed diagnosis age and initial autism symptom severity among >30,000 children with autism from a linkage study of California Department of Developmental Services records, birth records, and the National ART Surveillance System. Median diagnosis age and symptom severity levels were significantly lower for ART-conceived than non-ART-conceived children. After adjustment for differences in the socio-demographic profiles of the two groups, the diagnosis age differentials were greatly attenuated and there were no differences in autism symptomatology. Thus, ascertainment issues related to SES, not ART per se, are likely the driving influence of the differences we initially observed.

The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is a multi-site case-control study designed to explore the relationship between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotypes and etiologies. The goals of this paper are to (1) describe the SEED algorithm that uses the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to classify children with ASD, (2) examine psychometric properties of different ASD classification methods, including the SEED method that incorporates rules for resolving ADI-R and ADOS discordance, and (3) determine whether restricted interests and repetitive behaviors were noted for children who had instrument discordance resolved using ADI-R social and communication scores. Results support the utility of SEED criteria when well-defined groups of children are an important clinical or research outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We assessed the association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and diagnosed autistic disorder in a population-based sample of California births. Methods. We performed an observational cohort study using linked records from the California Birth Master Files for 1997 through 2007, the California Department of Developmental Services autism caseload for 1997 through 2011, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National ART Surveillance System for live births in 1997 through 2007. Participants were all 5 926 251 live births, including 48 865 ART-originated infants and 32 922 cases of autism diagnosed by the Department of Developmental Services. We compared births originated using ART with births originated without ART for incidence of autism. Results. In the full population, the incidence of diagnosed autism was twice as high for ART as non-ART births. The association was diminished by excluding mothers unlikely to use ART; adjustment for demographic and adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes reduced the association substantially, although statistical significance persisted for mothers aged 20 to 34 years. Conclusions. The association between ART and autism is primarily explained by adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes and multiple births. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to re-examine diagnostic data from a state-wide autism prevalence study (n = 489) conducted in the 1980s to investigate the impact of broader diagnostic criteria on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) case status. Sixty-four (59 %) of the 108 originally 'Diagnosed Not Autistic' met the current ASD case definition. The average IQ estimate in the newly identified group (IQ = 35.58; SD = 23.01) was significantly lower than in the original group (IQ = 56.19 SD = 21.21; t = 5.75; p < .0001). Today's diagnostic criteria applied to participants ascertained in the 1980s identified more cases of autism with intellectual disability. The current analysis puts this historic work into context and highlights differences in ascertainment between epidemiological studies performed decades ago and those of today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We assessed the association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and diagnosed autistic disorder in a population-based sample of California births., Methods: We performed an observational cohort study using linked records from the California Birth Master Files for 1997 through 2007, the California Department of Developmental Services autism caseload for 1997 through 2011, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National ART Surveillance System for live births in 1997 through 2007. Participants were all 5 926 251 live births, including 48 865 ART-originated infants and 32 922 cases of autism diagnosed by the Department of Developmental Services. We compared births originated using ART with births originated without ART for incidence of autism., Results: In the full population, the incidence of diagnosed autism was twice as high for ART as non-ART births. The association was diminished by excluding mothers unlikely to use ART; adjustment for demographic and adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes reduced the association substantially, although statistical significance persisted for mothers aged 20 to 34 years., Conclusions: The association between ART and autism is primarily explained by adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes and multiple births.