Autism Risks Detailed In Children Of Older Mothers

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123494736&sc=17&f=1001

Autism Risks Detailed In Children Of Older Mothers
by The Associated Press

AP - February 8, 2010

A woman's chance of having a child with autism increase substantially as she ages, but the risk may be less for older dads than previously suggested, a new study analyzing more than 5 million births found.

"Although fathers' age can contribute risk, the risk is overwhelmed by maternal age," said University of California at Davis researcher Janie Shelton, the study's lead author.

Mothers older than 40 were about 50 percent more likely to have a child with autism than those in their 20s; the risk for fathers older than 40 was 36 percent higher than for men in their 20s. [more]