Science is slowly tracing the earliest origins of neurodevelopmental difference, and a new thread leads back to the womb itself. Research now links certain maternal infections — among them herpes and rubella — to a measurably higher likelihood of autism spectrum disorder in children, suggesting that the immune storms of pregnancy may leave lasting imprints on the developing brain. This is not a story of blame or inevitability, but of expanding knowledge: the more precisely we understand the conditions that shape a mind before birth, the better equipped families and clinicians become to prepare
Maternal infections in pregnancy linked to increased autism risk in offspring
Affected children may experience autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and associated developmental challenges.