A new study, the larest of its kind to date, shows a higher incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children of women exposed to air pollutants during their pregnancies.
A group of SFU Health Sciences researchers conducted the population-based birth cohort study in the Metro Vancouver area-an area with relatively low levels of air pollution.
Researcher Bruce Lanphear says results of the study are consistent to similar studies in the United States, Israel, and Taiwan.
"The main thing is we saw positive associations which are consistent with most of the other studies that have examined pollution and autism, and so the pattern that we are seeing is very consistent, even though in Vancouver we had relatively low levels of pollution."
The study, published in J-A-M-A Pediatrics, adds to the evidence that air pollution is a risk factor for the development of ASD.