Science continues to scramble for reasons that children become autistic. The latest straw to which researchers are grasping is that children whose mothers were obese during pregnancy have an increased risk of autism.

The AP cites a study in the journal Pediatrics that found obese moms’ kids — compared to children of average-weight moms — had a 67 percent higher chance of being diagnosed with autism, as well as an increased risk of developmental delays.

There’s not enough evidence to leap to the conclusion that obesity directly contributes to an increased chance of autism, but there’s reason for moms to listen to doctors who advise keeping a close watch on weight gain during pregnancy. Previous research has linked obese pregnant mothers with higher risks of stillbirths, birth defects and premature births.

Autism risk rises if woman obese during pregnancy [AP via SFGate]

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