Nurses Study shows autism rates double with exposure to high levels of fine-particulate air pollution during pregnancy and the strongest link is in the third trimester.

One of the largest ever studies on Autism and Pollution has found a doubled autism risk among children of women exposed to high levels of fine particulate air pollution during pregnancy.

The association was strongest when the exposure occurred during the third trimester. The greater the exposure, the greater the risk.
There were 116,000 participants and the analysis found that children born to mothers exposed to the highest levels of fine particulate pollution during pregnancy (above 16.7 µg/m3) were twice as likely to develop autism than were children born to mothers exposed to the lowest levels (below 12.3 µg/m3). However, autism rates increased with exposure levels across the range.

The article from 18 December 2014 from Autism Speaks can be viewed here.

The study details can be viewed here.