Study suggests no association between induction of labor and offspring with autism spectrum disorders

A new study recently published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that induction of labor is not associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children, a result that contrasts previously published studies. In 2013, a large study in North Carolina (USA) revealed an association between induction of labor and risk of autism in offspring. The report gained widespread attention in the media and led to concern amongst pregnant women about the potential risks to their child of inducing labor. In response to this study, Harvard Chan School (MA, USA) researchers decided to investigate whether labor induction truly causes increased...