Association between oxytocin use to induce or augment labor and autism

Uvod: Spektroavtistične motnje (SAM) so kompleksna razvojna motnja, ki se kaže predvsem kot kakovostno spremenjeno vedenje na področju socialne interakcije, besedne in nebesedne komunikacije in imaginacije ter kot ponavljajoče se oziroma nenavadno vedenje. Namen: Namen diplomskega dela je z natančnim pregledom najnovejših raziskav ugotoviti, ali je uporaba oksitocina med porodom povezana s pojavom avtizma. Metode dela: Uporabili smo deskriptivno metodo dela. Pregledali ter preučili smo znanstveno in strokovno literaturo s področja avtizma ter perinatalnih dejavnikov tveganja za pojav avtistične motnje. Posebej smo se osredotočili na sprožitev in pospeševanje poroda z oksitocinom in njegov vpliv na avtistične motnje. Literaturo smo iskali s pomočjo podatkovnih baz (COBISS, PubMed, DiKUL in Google Scholar). Rezultati: Pri dojenčkih z avtizmom so poročali o pogostejših zapletih med nosečnostjo, porodom in neposredno po njem. Zaradi tega so domnevali, da lahko zapleti med nosečnostjo in porodom ter po njem povečajo tveganje za pojav avtizma. V zadnjih letih je bilo veliko pozornosti namenjeno morebitni povezavi med uporabo sintetičnega oksitocina med porodom in SAM. Najnovejša raziskava s področja morebitne povezave med uporabo oksitocina med porodom in SAM je bila objavljena leta 2016. Švedski raziskovalci so potrdili šibko povezavo med sprožitvijo poroda in SAM (RO 1,1995 % IZ 1,13–1,24). Velikost vzorca je omogočala tudi primerjavo sorojencev, pri katerih se je začetek poroda razlikoval. Analiza sorojencev ni pokazala statistično pomembne povezave med sprožitvijo poroda in SAM (RO 0,9995 % IZ 0,88–1,10). Razprava in sklep: Do danes objavljene raziskave niso pokazale klinično pomembne povezave med uporabo oksitocina za sprožitev ali pospeševanje poroda in SAM.Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder characterised by altered behaviour in the quality of social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and imagination and by repetitive or unusual behaviours. Objective: By means of a thorough review of the latest literature, the purpose of the thesis is to establish whether oxytocin use during labour is associated with autism incidence. Methods: A descriptive research method was used. The author examined and studied scientific and professional literature in the field of autism and perinatal risk factors for autistic spectrum disorder incidence. The thesis specifically focused on induction and augmentation of labour with oxytocin and its effect on autistic disorders. The literature was accessed through databases (COBISS, PubMed, DiKUL and Google Scholar). Results: With autistic babies, more frequent complications during pregnancy, labour and immediately after birth were reported. It led to an assumption that pregnancy, labour and complications following birth may increase the risk of autism incidence. In recent years, considerable attention has been devoted to a possible association of synthetic oxytocin use during labour with ASD. The latest research paper in the field of possible association between oxytocin use during labour and ASD was published in 2016. Swedish researchers found a weak association between labour induction and ASD (OR 1,1995 % CI 1,13-1,24). The sample size allowed for a comparison among siblings with a different onset of labour. The analysis of those siblings did not show a statistically relevant association between labour induction and ASD (OR 0,9995 % CI 0,88-1,10). Discussion and conclusion: To date published research has not shown a clinically significant association between oxytocin use to induce or augment labour and ASD