The Autism research centre are currently shwoing this on their webiste-

Amniocentesis Study of Autism

If you are the mother of a child with an autism spectrum condition, and are you currently pregnant, and are planning to have an amniocentesis, please consider participating in an exciting new research project.

We need to hear from you before you have the amnio.

For more information please email us.

This is very worrying as it is a pre natal screening test, which could, with their studies, produce a test to detect autism in the womb. That seems the primary purpose for the study. Our september meeting on the 8th in the chatroom will focus on the study and we will discuss our views and any action that we feel may be appropriate in order to educate the reality of the potential outcome of such testing, ie, eugenics.

http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/volu..._study.asp

I wonder what came out of that study if it went ahead as planned at the time. There is still very much heated debate about the subject of autism research. It is one thing to have research into co-morbids such as gut issues but another into pre-natal testing which could be used for good or bad.

I seriously doubt there would be any kind of test that would pinpoint accurately how severely any given child might have autism even if it comes up positive. Given what happened after pre-natal testing was developed to detect Downs Syndrome pregnancies, I fear parents will be pressured into not continuing with a pregnancy that tests positive for autism.

I could not find the study on the website.

The original post was from 2004.  

Please stop neucrobumping posts!!!

Why? Are you the boss of this board?

You can read about the results of the original series of experiments here.

http://www.autismresearchcentre.com/docs...al_BJP.pdf

It was an interesting study which I followed at the time. I believe they are still following the progress of the children through to adulthood.

They did not find the evidence needed to develop a prenatel test but they did find a correlation between high fetal testosterone levels and some autistic traits.
There are however lots of spin off studies around the world trying to develop a prenatal test along those lines and I suspect that that call for mothers of autistic children planning on having an amnio was an attempt to pin down such a test with a more focused study.

At that time this area of research did give me a rather controversial idea but I would have to dig out my extra thick tin hat before I could put it on here.

She isn't the boss, but seeing a site founder mention a specific prenatal test raises the alarm, unduly in this case.

It is generally agreed that autism is a result of a combination of hereditory and environmental factors.

When I read about the results of this research it occured to me that one of the environmental factors relating to the increase in ASD disabled children could be the drive towards equality for women.

These days increasing numbers of women are embarking on stressful careers competing against men before having children, to the ridiculous point of having a few weeks off to drop the baby and continuing with their career.

Increasing stress levels in women produce increasing levels of testosterone -- the opposite effect to men.
This research shows that increased levels of testosterone produce increased 'autistic' traits in the offspring.

I believe that women should be denied equality until they have finished producing children, when of course they would be free to embark on stressful careers like fighting in the front line or climbing the corporate ladder etc.
Prior to this women should be cossetted in the bosom of their families.

I am not saying that this will reduce incidences of ASD -- I am saying that this could reduce incidences of ASD disabled children.
We could go back to the era when when most ASD children could get through life without needing a diagnosis.

Also please note that I am saying that equality for women is just one of several environmental factors producing an increase in disabled autistic children. So please no, 'That's not the case in my family so it can't be true', arguments .

Tin hat on - shields up - please fire away!