Children born to people given an epidural during labor do not have an increased chance of having autism, according to two new studies.

Mock viral infections impair social memory in mice with a mutation tied to autism, and autistic boys are more likely than their non-autistic peers to have had serious infections early in life.

Children born to mothers who take antipsychotic drugs during pregnancy are not more likely to have autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or to be born preterm or underweight.

Young autistic children with sleep troubles tend to have difficulty regulating their behavior later in childhood.

Too little — or too much — of certain substances during pregnancy may increase the odds of having a child with autism. Here we explain what scientists know about these associations.

Genes influence how autistic people react to sights, sounds and other sensory cues, whereas environmental factors shape their tendency to notice and seek out such stimuli, a new study in twins suggests.

A typically protective stress response could help to explain the connection between maternal illness and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions are more common among children born by C-section than those delivered vaginally, but the procedure itself does not underlie the association, according to a new study.

Newborns with either above- or below-average levels of an immune-system marker, among other differences, have increased odds of being autistic.

Women who use marijuana while pregnant may be more likely to give birth to an autistic child. But investigators call for a cautious interpretation of the results.