Infection during pregnancy may blunt the growth of neurons in the fetus by boosting levels of the chemical messenger serotonin.

Autism is four times more prevalent among extremely premature babies than in the general population.

Pregnant women with elevated levels of certain immune molecules are at increased risk of having a child with both autism and intellectual disability.

High levels of an inflammatory protein in pregnant women may lower the risk of autism in their children.

Triggering immune defenses in pregnant mice leads to autism-like behaviors not only in their pups, but also in the following generations.

Bacterial fragments can cross the placenta of a pregnant mouse into the brains of her developing pups, leading to a surplus of neurons in the pups.

Studies link taking antidepressants, acetaminophen and some asthma drugs during pregnancy to autism risk, but the dangers of going off them may outweigh the risks.

The possibility that autism is caused by a maternal immune system gone awry is no longer a fringe idea — but proposals to identify or fix these glitches are still controversial.

Researchers have identified a key immune molecule in pregnant mice that produces autism-like behaviors in their pups.

Rare antibodies taken from the blood of women who have a child with autism cause brain structure changes and autism-like symptoms in male mice.