The more words autistic children hear as infants — and the more verbal interactions they have with their caregivers — the better their language skills at age 2.

Adults with autism are nearly 50 percent more likely to die in the hospital than their typical peers.

About 81 percent of autism risk comes from inherited genetic factors, according to an analysis of more than 2 million children from five countries.

Exposure to inflammation in the womb may affect the brain and behavior of males and females differently.

The largest-yet attempt to characterize the global diversity of the human microbiome — the population of microbes that live in our bodies — has found 4,930 species, 77 percent of which were previously unknown.

Despite the hype around a new study, it may be too soon to conclude that taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy lowers the child’s chances of autism.

Understanding the interactions between the placenta and the uterine lining could explain how maternal immune activation leads to autism.

A cell atlas and a cell-culture method promise to advance scientists’ understanding of the placenta and its effects on a fetus.

Consuming Lactobacillus reuteri, a gut microbe found in yogurt and breast milk, may enhance social interactions in three mouse models of autism.

Autism is predominantly genetic in origin, but a growing list of prenatal exposures for mother and baby may sway the odds.