Researchers determined that there is not a connection between induced labor and autism in children.
The study suggests that current healthcare guidelines should not be changed, an American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) news release reported. The researchers were not able to find a causal relationship between induced labor drugs and autism in offspring.
Past studies have considered a link between the oxytocin used to accelerate labor and autism, this new study disputes the idea.
The opinion was released by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College).
Limiting induced labor could lead to serious consequences for the mother and child, the news release reported.
"In obstetric practice, labor induction and augmentation play an essential role in protecting the health of some mothers and in promoting safe delivery of many babies," Jeffrey L. Ecker, MD. Dr. Ecker is chair of the Committee on Obstetric Practice, which developed the new Committee Opinion, said in the news release. "When compared with these benefits, the research we reviewed in assembling this Committee Opinion, relative to the utilization of oxytocin, had clear limitations. Because of this, these studies should not impact how obstetricians already safely and effectively use labor induction and augmentation when caring for their patients."
To make their findings the researchers reviewed past studies involving the link between oxytocin and autism.
The reviewed studies have a "number of limitations, such as small size, retrospective data collection, and limited control for possible confounding variables," the news release reported.
The researchers believe cutting down on induced labor and oxytocin use could increase the cesarean delivery rate.
"Committee Opinion #597, "Labor Induction or Augmentation and Autism," will be published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The Opinion was also endorsed by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine," the news release reported.
