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1- Babil health directorate, Regional Branch of Iraqi Ministry of Health. Babil, Iraq
2- Departmentof Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
3- Pharmacy College, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kerbala University, Karbala, Iraq ,shaymaa.a@uokerbala.edu.iq
2- Departmentof Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kufa, Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
3- Pharmacy College, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kerbala University, Karbala, Iraq ,
Abstract: (22 Views)
Introduction: Advanced paternal age has been proposed as a potential factor associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although evidence from Middle Eastern populations remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between advanced paternal age and ASD among Iraqi children and to evaluate selected prenatal, natal, and postnatal factors associated with the disorder.
Methodology: A multicenter case–control study was conducted involving 200 children, including 100 children diagnosed with ASD and 100 age-matched healthy controls recruited from Karbala and Babylon provinces, Iraq. Demographic characteristics and prenatal, natal, and postnatal exposures were collected using structured questionnaires and medical records. Associations between potential risk factors and ASD were initially assessed using univariable analyses. Variables demonstrating clinical relevance or statistical significance were subsequently entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors independently associated with ASD.
Results: Advanced paternal age (>40 years) was independently associated with ASD (adjusted OR = 3.80, 95% CI: 1.32–7.83). Male sex, urban residence, and a positive family history of ASD were also independently associated with increased odds of ASD. Among postnatal factors, bottle feeding and neonatal feeding difficulties remained significant independent predictors. No significant associations were observed between ASD and the evaluated prenatal maternal conditions or natal factors.
Conclusion: The findings of this study contribute epidemiological evidence from an underrepresented population and support the association between advanced paternal age and ASD while highlighting the multifactorial nature of the disorder.
Methodology: A multicenter case–control study was conducted involving 200 children, including 100 children diagnosed with ASD and 100 age-matched healthy controls recruited from Karbala and Babylon provinces, Iraq. Demographic characteristics and prenatal, natal, and postnatal exposures were collected using structured questionnaires and medical records. Associations between potential risk factors and ASD were initially assessed using univariable analyses. Variables demonstrating clinical relevance or statistical significance were subsequently entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors independently associated with ASD.
Results: Advanced paternal age (>40 years) was independently associated with ASD (adjusted OR = 3.80, 95% CI: 1.32–7.83). Male sex, urban residence, and a positive family history of ASD were also independently associated with increased odds of ASD. Among postnatal factors, bottle feeding and neonatal feeding difficulties remained significant independent predictors. No significant associations were observed between ASD and the evaluated prenatal maternal conditions or natal factors.
Conclusion: The findings of this study contribute epidemiological evidence from an underrepresented population and support the association between advanced paternal age and ASD while highlighting the multifactorial nature of the disorder.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder, Advanced paternal age, Epidemiology, Multicenter study, Risk factors, Logistic regression, Iraq
Type of Study: Original Research Article |
Subject:
Clinical Medicine
Received: 2026/09/4 | Accepted: 2026/10/13
Received: 2026/09/4 | Accepted: 2026/10/13
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Journal of Advances in Medical and Biomedical Research by Zanjan University of Medical Sciences is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
