Maternal intake of prenatal vitamins, including folic acid, during pregnancy can significantly lower the risk of autism spectrum disorder, and lead to higher cognitive skills in younger siblings of children with the neurobehavioural condition, say researchers. Younger siblings of children with the condition are about 13 times more likely to develop the disorder than the general population, with a recurrence risk of nearly one in five. The findings, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, could be important for families who have children with autism and are planning new pregnancies. It could also imply that genetic susceptibility could potentially be overcome
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