Is fetal nuchal cord associated with autism spectrum disorder? A meta-analysis.

Purpose There is inconsistent evidence about the association between fetal nuchal cord and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We performed a meta-analysis to investigate whether fetal nuchal cord is associated with an increased risk of ASD in offspring. Methods Three main English databases were searched until January 2021. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Study heterogeneity was determined using the I2 statistic, while publication bias was assessed using Begg's and Egger's tests. Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) and relative ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and were determined by a random-effects model. Results Five articles (one cohort, four case-control; 3088 total children) were included in the present meta-analysis. Fetal nuchal cord was not a risk factor for ASD (OR=1.11; 95% CI, 0.66-1.57). There was homogeneity among studies that reported a risk of ASD (I2=0.0%). Conclusion Our results showed that fetal nuchal cord is not a risk factor for ASD. Future large cohort studies should confirm this finding.